













Class 

Book 

Copyright 1^? 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 


\ 












HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


J 


* 


< 


* • ^ 

,*. , , 


t 


« 


« 





\ ■ ■ ■ i ri * ^'' , ' H '• I ^ 

' , .'> .*; , 'i >>■' '■ V' 


\ . 




7 


/ 


k 




1 

V 

r 


k ' i ' ' I , 

[ 

• \ 


I 


r ^ • \ 

' t " 






« 





I 




I 





1 » 


k-1 


» 4 




•v- • 


-11 


« • ^ arT ” » 




-Kvy -,3 




« • 


Pi(^> 






•, f 

15' 



•'■C ;-^:^^ .ij 




• V * ' ' •! 




4*'"^ 


V r- 


r/r 




^i<r' 


■jr * 












»» 




'|4 


% ». 


V-* 




6 ^,--...,^^'-.rjr,^ 5 ^. • 



%r 


vv 








l 




# 




'‘V'^'-'i 




'»:?p«i. 


#.-TV X 


- t;r * V 

a« _ 


V 4 ;v 










>■ ■ 


A 'I 


•*-. '•w> 


• -' k. 


^ I 


'-% .. .-''Sr 


% « 


.*V’ 


iS. 


‘** f ^ 




» 


fS^ 


- .- 


•I. I 








« * 




^.i-V 


L,./* 




X - 




'■^* 


--V. 


^ ■ *. 


/* 








;;U 








I IB: 




k'^ . ^ 


■* 1 




^-i» 


't 


^ t 


» f, 


y. 


m. 




y, r 


‘ V- 


• ? ^ 


•A 


. w, 


/<«*, 




t « 




JW *’ 


'*4, 


‘r i* 


•• »= Gskj^- J*'? ’i J 


' I 


• > . 





< t 


m 




Bh V - , t * ^ « a ^ V T^ ,Tlfc(i^7a- ^ ^ V "'jlrfi. V 







lit^ 


'■< akt.- a,'. ■■> 




A SHELL DROPPED FULL ONTO THE QUARTER-DECK 


HE CONQUERED 
THE KAISER 


BY 

CAPT. H. A. MASON 


NEW YORK 

THE MACAULAY COMPANY 
1915 


'V3 




Copyright, 1915, by 
THE MACAULAY COMPANY 


APR 10 1915 

©CI.Ay9S287 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I An American Monarch 9 

II Mr. Montgomery Jones 18 

III Strong Decides to Steal the Earth . . 28 

IV A Flight by Night 41 

V Strong Maps Out His Campaign Against 

THE World 56 

VI Strong Starts to Steal the Earth . . 75 

VII Strong Deals the World a Blow ... 90 

VIII Diana Calls 105 

IX To Steal a Throne 120 

X Kidnaping a Princess 136 

XI The Robbing op Monte Carlo . . , .149 

XII Two Strong Men 166 

XIII Bomberg Capitulates 176 

XIV Civil War in Bomberg 185 

XV A King in Flight ....... 200 

XVI Paris and Some Perils 215 

XVII Melodrama as an Aid to Exit .... 227 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 


PAGE 

XVIII 

On the Way to Armageddon . . 

. 239 

XIX 

The War Lord Finds a Master 

. 252 

XX 

Diana Flouts Her Father .... 

. 268 

XXI 

The Princess ts in Danger .... 

. 283 

XXII 

Armageddon Limited 

. 301 







HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 









HE CONQUERED THE 
KAISER 

CHAPTER I 

AN AMERICAN MONARCH 

Frup! The bullet peeled away the bark of the beech 
tree beneath which Mr. Montgomery Jones was leaning 
and shot across his face. 

But being forewarned by suspicion, Mr. Jones was 
forearmed, and he lounged back just in time. 

He lounged back languidly, almost gracefully, but 
none the less quickly, and he had time to note that in 
the motor-launch on which he had kept such careful 
watch were two men. One of them sat by the tiller, 
and his dark eyes were upon Mr. Jones. The other 
occupant of the little craft leaned against the gunwale, 
and his eyes, too, were upon Mr. Jones. 

“ Air-gun,” said Mr. Jones to himself, as he heard 
the soft flup of the spinning bark from the tree, and he 
edged further round the trunk. 

The launch went on its way up the Thames, making 
for Cookham. The hour was high noon. 

Mr. Jones, however, was not minded to let the launch 
go far without his active interference. Like a flash, 
his hand went to his hip-pocket, and he drew out a 
Smith and Wesson with a long nose. In a second he 
had laid a careful train upon the launch. There was a 
report, and the man in the launch who had been leaning 


10 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


over the side of the boat fell forward. A heavy air-gun 
dropped from his hand with a splash into the stream. 

The other man in the launch swooped forward and 
lifted the dead man back into the boat. As he did so 
the launch swung round and shot over towards the 
opposite bank, but with a turn of his wrist he put her 
course dead up-stream again. The boat ran up beyond 
the bend of the river and disappeared. 

Mr. Montgomery Jones replaced his revolver in his 
pocket and sat down beneath the tree which had at 
once been the means of his sure defense and the cover 
of his deadly attack. For an hour he had watched the 
apparently innocent maneuvers of the motor-launch 
which had lain just down-stream. He had watched 
these maneuvers with a vast amount of interest, for Mr. 
Jones was possessed of a sense passing rare in men, but 
extremely common in women — the sense of keen, un- 
sleeping suspicion. 

He had perceived the launch first as he sat among the 
rhododendrons in his garden by the river. It had gone 
by him swiftly, but not so swiftly that in the interval 
which came between taking his cigar from his mouth 
and replacing it, he had not noted two pairs of keen, 
watchful, and, as he thought, antagonistic eyes, observ- 
ing every detail of his appearance and of his surround- 
ings. 

Mr. Jones had deliberately watched the passing of 
the launch up-stream while he enjoyed the quiet satis- 
faction derived from an exceedingly fine cigar. Out of 
sight, beyond the bend of the river, this launch had 
turned about. At all events, it came swishing past him 
again more slowly, and nearer the bank. Then, a 
couple of hundred yards or so down-stream, it had 
turned about once more to lie on the face of the water 
restful and seemingly innocent. 

But to Mr. Montgomery Jones it was passively 
menacing. His conscience — or perhaps, to be more 


AN AMERICAN MONARCH 


11 


just, his knowledge of himself and his affairs — made 
him exceedingly alive to danger. For Mr. Montgomery 
Jones possessed a mental attribute which in greater 
men than he has gone to account for courage. The 
world thinks that a brave man looks forward to know 
the worst. That is a fine motive, perhaps, but the 
student of human nature knows the same motive impels 
the burglar to look over the fence to see if the con- 
stable is on the other side. The motive, by another 
name, is caution. 

And, paradoxical though it may seem, it was the lesser 
degree of this motive that prompted Mr. Montgomery 
Jones openly to court danger. 

He had gone down to the edge of the water, and sat 
upon the bank smoking his cigar with apparently satis- 
fied aplomb. Mr. Jones, indeed, was altogether a self- 
complacent-looking man. He was tall and plump; his 
black hair and drooping black mustache were sleek. He 
wore his eye-glasses with a calm that amounted to dig- 
nity. 

Not once did he glance in the direction of the launch, 
which at last got under way again, and came quietly up- 
stream. Mr. Montgomery Jones yawned, rose up, 
stretched himself, and leaned carelessly against the tree 
beneath which he had waited. 

Then came the sudden movement in the launch which 
caused him to draw back — the shot that sent the 
bark flying past his face, and his swift, decided, and 
deadly answer to the attack. Then also arose a cir- 
cumstance which was to make Mr. Jones one of the cen- 
terpieces of a drama which was to transform utterly 
all the methods of the peace and warfare of the world. 

For as the launch had passed by Mr. Montgomery 
Jones’ resting-place among the rhododendrons, there 
had come out from a low-built and tiny bungalow on 
the further shore a young man who could never have 
passed through life unnoticed, if only by reason of his 


12 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


extraordinary stature. He stood at least six feet three 
inches, and was heavily built, having the round, wide 
shoulders of the natural bom boxer — the round, wide, 
sweeping shoulders one expects to find in a man who, 
if he is not a puncher of other men, or a feller of trees, 
or a boiler-maker, may at least be counted as a 
“ hustler.” 

Yet John Strong, son of Sir John Strong, Bart., 
descendant of more baronets than one can count fingers 
on both hands, had so far never “ hustled ” in the body. 
Up till then, indeed, he had never “ hustled ” either in 
spirit or in mind. None the less, he had the shoulders 
of a man who fights hard in this world’s dealings. And 
it is just as well to cast an eye over a man’s shoulders 
as it is to glance into his face when one desires to read 
his character. 

Strong, as a matter of fact, was nonchalant, which is 
only a polite way of saying he was lazy because he had 
no work to do. His face was remarkably handsome, 
being of that square-set, big-boned type which comes 
under the category of strong. This peculiar strength 
of feature alone saved him from being ridiculously good- 
looking, for his eyes were big and blue, and his hair 
brown and curly. 

Now, John Strong was unutterably self-sufficient. 
He was, but it was a self-sufficiency to be excused later 
because of a spirit of dominion that was to upset the 
reckonings of a self-satisfied civilization. 

When Strong came out of his bungalow, however, 
there was no promise of this genius for domination, 
except perhaps the almost tigerish glint of his strong, 
white teeth, which he showed in a broad grin. He was 
genially and genuinely amused by what he saw. It 
struck him as being surpassingly inappropriate, and 
therefore marvelously amusing, that one man should fire 
on another with an air-gun on the Thames in the sun- 
shine of a May morning ; and that the man who was so 


AN AMERICAN MONARCH 


13 


shot at should destroy his enemy was more diverting 
still. For Strong had seen the glint of the air-gun as it 
was leveled, had caught the sharp passage of the flying 
bark of the tree-trunk, the quick but wicked gleam of 
the revolver of the man behind the tree, and the soft, 
sickly pitch forward of the dead man in the launch. 

He was interested — interested in the vague, superior 
way of a virtuous person who stands in a crowd to see a 
drunken man arrested. So interested was he that he 
stepped with a gently inquiring air from the bank into a 
punt, and with a few deft strokes thrust the square- 
nosed craft across the water. 

Meantime, Mr. Jones, beneath the beech tree, had 
resumed the quiet investigation of his excellent cigar. 
Strong put the punt inshore and wedged it between 
bank and pole. 

He grinned aflPably in a wide and childish way that 
Mr. Jones misread, and thereafter rued the misreading 
of. 

“ A bit careless, surely,” Strong suggested, to let 
that other fellow get away up-stream with a dead man.” 

Mr. Jones came down to the water’s edge, took his 
cigar from his mouth, and surveyed with an apparently 
aff*ectionate solicitude the hot, red glow of the smolder- 
ing ash. 

‘‘ No,” he said thoughtfully and with mild assurance, 
‘‘not in the least. He will come back.” Mr. Mont- 
gomery Jones knew that Strong, bare-armed and brave, 
and apparently impressionable, had been flirting with 
his daughter in a lazy though well-bred spirit of chivalry 
that would suffice to keep him silent in matters of vital 
importance to a possible father-in-law, even though 
silence involved a doubtful secret. And his secret was 
a heavy one. 

For Mr. Montgomery Jones was a great deal more 
than the ordinary man he seemed to be. He passed on 
the Thames for a wealthy, independent, and somewhat 


u 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


casual American millionaire. And the inhabitants of 
the Thames valley, never making inquiries beyond the 
limits of a man’s purse-strings, did not suspect that the 
complacent American with the endless supply of ready- 
money was indulging in that luxury of the excessively 
wealthy, or the unusually exalted, commonly known as 
an incognito. 

There were very many who could have stripped 
away the incognito of Mr, Jones. The Embassy of 
every Great Power kept a by no means easy eye upon 
his neat creeper-trimmed villa. 

Mr. Montgomery Jones was in reality the very center 
of that perpetual human volcano which keeps the states- 
men of Europe watchful and open-eyed even in the most 
piping times of peace — in other words, the Balkans. 
Ever since the peace-treaty which ended the Great War 
there had been a tradition among war correspondents 
that soon “ there will be trouble again in the Balkans,” 
and, in a callous way, more than one war correspondent 
built hopes on Mr. Montgomery Jones, whose alias — 
if a police-court term may be used when speaking of 
monarchs — was King George II of Balkania. 

Of course, as king of this minor, though tiresome, 
little state, he could not lay claim to American citizen- 
ship. At the same time, he was more American both 
in appearance and in spirit than he was Balkanian. 
This, for the reason that his father, George I, had ac- 
complished the hitherto unheard-of feat in a monarch 
of taking unto himself an American bride, and success- 
fully establishing her as a real and recognized queen. 
Miss Cynthia Montgomery Jones — for such had been 
the maiden-name of the King of Balkania’s bride — was 
a lady of almost incalculable wealth, unblushing Amer- 
ican patriotism, and a force of character which is essen- 
tial to the making of a multi-millionaire. And her 
son George, the present King of Balkania, known in 
holiday-time by his mother’s maiden name of Mont- 


AN AMERICAN MONARCH 


15 


gomery Jones, had inherited most of his American par- 
ent’s characteristics. They were characteristics which 
were accentuated by the fact that an education at 
Yale had been followed by a stem training in finance at 
the hands of a Wall Street broker, a training which his 
mother had considered as necessary if her son were not 
to be counted among the more or less bankrupt minor 
monarchs of Europe. 

Therefore it came about that when King George I 
of Balkania was followed to the grave by his masterful 
American Queen, George II found that if his kingdom 
were small his fortune and his influence were vast ; and 
he imbued his Balkanian ministers and financial mag- 
nates with some of his strong, and to a certain extent 
unscmpulous, business spirit. As a result, Balkania, in 
spite of its romantic past and its picturesque popula- 
tion and surroundings, became an essentially modern 
and a financially paying concern.' 

This was a state of affairs which reduced the neigh- 
boring monarch of Sylvania to impotent frenzy. He 
was jealous and envious of his neighbor’s financial pros- 
perity, and yet disgusted with what he regarded as the 
unpardonable Americanization of a decent and religious, 
if medijEval people. But for his fear of the Czar on 
one hand and the Kaiser on the other, the hot-headed old 
Prince of Sylvania would long before have set his army 
on the march against “ the American Kinglet ” across 
the border. 

His rage and his spite were not lessened by the fact 
that his son. Prince Ludwig, had fallen in worship be- 
fore the shrine of the distasteful American monarch’s 
daughter. 

It was indeed a perplexing situation for the savage 
old man, for while his cupidity urged him to further 
what he regarded as a disgraceful mesalliance^ his pride 
and his envy spurred him to oppose it. 

At length, in his senility he hit upon a vicious and 


16 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


cowardly compromise. Officially he gave his sanction to 
his son’s desires. Then, to avenge the sacrifice, he 
plotted and schemed, with all the craft of his wicked 
and preposterous old mind, the assassination of his 
son’s potential father-in-law. But his senile craft was 
quite transparent to the wide-awake King of Balkania. 
George II had no overweening love for the dark-browed 
and too gushing prince who came openly courting his 
daughter. But the King of Balkania, in the capacity 
of Mr. Montgomery Jones, was a business man, and 
business men, unless they happen to supply the muni- 
tions of war, commonly desire peace. Therefore, for 
the sake of peace, the King of Balkania was prepared to 
accept the suit of the gallivanting young Prince Lud- 
wig. 

But Princess Diana, the bronze-haired and golden- 
eyed, the gay and the petulant, the proud and the 
candid, was of quite another mind. When the matter 
came up for discussion, as a matter of state, she had 
likened Ludwig to a monkey and then flung out of the 
room. And Mr. Jones, King of Balkania, though 
masterful in most matters, shrugged his shoulders in 
submission when Diana banged the door. 

This increased the Prince of Sylvania’s anger, and 
he sought a further revenge in laying other and deeper 
plans for the assassination of the King of Balkania. 
But this did not particularly disturb the semi- American 
monarch. He had been born and bred to take risks, 
and another risk or so did not weigh much with him. 

It was, moreover, his knowledge of the motives of 
men and of monarchs that left him quite undismayed 
when the launch with its dead had rushed past him up- 
stream. He saw at once that the man who handled the 
tiller was an emissary of the Prince of Sylvania, and 
that he would not dare to disclose his plight to the 
police. He knew very well that it would be better for 
him to return and ask the aid of the man whose life 


AN AMERICAN MONARCH Ih 

he had sought than to have any dealings with the slow; 
and exacting officials of Scotland Yard. 

The accident of Strong’s introduction to the incident 
was, of course, annoying; but Mr. Jones felt quite sure 
of his silence, and saw no need for disclosing the cher- 
ished secret of his identity. Here, however, he made a 
miscalculation, for Mr. Montgomery Jones’ secret was 
quite well known to Strong. 

It was this knowledge, indeed, which to some extent 
had made the flirtation with Miss Diana Montgomery 
Jones so inexpressibly sweet. It is not every day that 
one can dally with a princess in disguise. 

So Mr. Montgomery Jones and Strong played at 
slightly cross-purposes ; and while they were crossing 
purposes they were crossing swords, little thinking then 
that they were to cross the swords of all the countries 
of the world. 

In the meantime Mr. Montgomery Jones was not too 
proud to admit to himself that he needed Strong’s as- 
sistance, for silence, come to think of it, is the greatest 
assistance people can render to one in this world. 

Strong, moreover, was quite prepared to give it solely 
from the motive of curiosity. So the two men sat in 
silence beneath the beech tree waiting for the fulfillment 
of Jones’ prophecy that the launch would return. 


CHAPTER II 


ME. MONTGOMEEY JONES 

Steong’s attention was aroused by a slight movement 
on the part of Mr. Jones. He glanced up-stream, and 
observed the launch coming back — just as Mr. Jones 
had declared it would. The launch came slowly in- 
shore, and, with half a score of bubbles at its stem, lay 
still. 

The young man at the tiller, obviously a gentleman, 
raised, his cap and glanced with a somewhat uneasy 
smile at Mr. Jones. 

“ I am afraid, sir,” he said in English with a faint 
foreign accent, making a little inclination towards Mr. 
Jones, “ that we both need each other’s assistance. 
This will excuse my intrusion.” 

Mr. Jones surveyed the launch, the living man at the 
tiller, and the huddled dead in the bottom of the boat, 
with a leisurely serenity. 

I suppose,” he remarked, ‘‘ it is a case of let the 
dead bury their dead? ” 

The young man in the launch shrugged his shoulders. 

It would certainly be convenient,” he agreed. 

Mr. Jones flicked away the ash from his cigar. 

The undertaking business,” he said, “ is not pos- 
sible without a spade; but I am under the impression 
that such an instrument may quite well be found with- 
out much trouble. If you will have the kindness to 
wait, I will go and see if I can find one. In the mean- 
time I would suggest that you should make fast. My 
friend ” — here he indicated Strong — “ will assist you.” 


MR. MONTGOMERY JONES 


19 


Without a further word Mr. Jones rose to his feet 
and sauntered away through the rhododendrons. It 
was not long before he came strolling back with a 
shovel under his arm. 

“ I have discovered an ideal place for the ceremony,” 
he remarked. “ Yesterday I had to put up a statue 
of Cupid about a dozen yards from here. The earth 
about the base is disturbed, and I fancy that no one, 
not even my exceedingly tyrannical gardener, will dis- 
cover if it is disturbed a little more. The funeral 
shall be a labor of love. It will be a fitting interment 
to take place beneath the feet of Cupid.” 

Mr. Jones went down to the water’s edge and sur- 
veyed the dead man. 

“ If my friend takes him by the head,” he said, 
“ and you by the feet ” — and here he nodded to the 
man in the launch — ‘‘ the burden should not be heavy 
in spite of the weight upon our consciences. I will 
confine my own exertions to pointing out the way.” 

The very callousness of the whole proceeding in- 
creased Strong’s interest, and it was without a qualm 
that he stepped into the launch and raised the shoul- 
ders of the dead man. He did not even flinch when 
the corpse’s head sagged sullenly against his knee. 

The way was not a long one. In a little clearing, 
a gaudy plaster Cupid, apparently petrified in the 
midst of a gambol, poised on a white-washed leg on a 
painfully suburban pedestal. The earth around the 
pedestal was broken. 

“ Put him down,” said Jones. And they laid the 
dead man down, his eyes staring and his mouth gaping 
at the bright blossoms of the rhododendrons above him. 
It was very quiet, and the blackbirds piped in the 
bushes. 

For the next two hours the three men dug turn and 
turn about, sweltering in the warmth of an abnormally 
hot May afternoon. As they worked. Strong was 


20 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


thinking not of Jones’ secret, but of his own secret, 
which lay across the river, behind his little bungalow. 
He was thinking of his friend, Joe Langley, the weird, 
uncouth, lanky brother-undergraduate, whose genius 
for mechanical invention had assuredly marked him 
out to be one of Oxford’s greatest scholastic failures. 
That Langley, however, would be a failure in life was 
impossible. Devoted in a dog-like way to Strong, he 
had attached himself to his friend’s more decided per- 
sonality with a pertinacious affection and blind faith 
of which only women and inventors are capable. And 
his invention was one of which the world had long been 
dreaming, long expecting, long hoping for in a some- 
what scared way. 

Langley had contrived an invention which secured 
the conquest of the air. It was not a piece of fanciful 
impertinence, nor yet a half-baked appliance which 
only tantalized by its immature perfection. 

The machine which Langley had devised was a real 
and live thing. It had done what men had almost 
given up as the impossible. It could, with its own 
machinery, lift itself from the earth, and then follow 
whatsoever course its inventor chose to give it. 

Langley was of that timid breed which left him rather 
terrified of his own discoveries. When alone, he felt 
somewhat in the position of Frankenstein. He was 
afraid of his own monster. It was his, for he had made 
it; but he needed the nerve, the laughing disregard of 
danger, which was the happy attribute of Strong. 

Together they had put the machine to every test 
that was compatible with secrecy. The airship, which 
was not larger than a yacht’s cutter, barely held them 
both. It had been cautiously wheeled out on dark 
nights and set in motion. Its apparatus was so simple 
and so silent in the working that in the hours which 
come immediately after midnight, when in the country 
no one is abroad, its soft, smooth course had been un- 


MR. MONTGOMERY JONES 


21 


noted as Strong steered it in a circle round the paddock 
which lay beyond their river dwelling. 

Langley desired to give his secret to the world; but 
Strong, held back by the business instinct of waiting 
for opportunity, kept the inventor’s zeal in check. 
Strong was not slow to see the enormous possibilities 
of the concern; but he desired to seize the opportuni- 
ties that were the greatest. 

Now, as he alternately dug and watched the other 
men dig, he cast about in his mind for a use to which 
Langley’s airship might be put to achieve his darling 
wish. He sought to discover how the airship might 
reduce to practicability the desire of a commoner to 
wed a princess. For he was now determined to speak 
to Jones immediately. He felt that the curious work 
in which he was engaged entitled him to inform Mr. 
Jones that he knew very well he was in reality King of 
Balkania. 

It occurred to him that to use his knowledge of the 
day’s events to his own advantage might be a shade 
unscrupulous. But Strong’s scruples, truth to tell, 
were few and far between. He had that overbearing, 
masterful outlook on life which excused in himself 
things which he would never have pardoned in others. 

That Mr. Jones in his capacity of King of Balkania 
would reject his suit as a piece of preposterous impu- 
dence he had not the faintest doubt. It was the cer- 
tainty of this which had kept him silent till now. He 
had been searching for a lever with which to move 
that immovable man. The lever, as he plied his spade, 
seemed to have fallen into his hands. 

That Jones would surrender his daughter as the 
price of silence Strong did not believe. He quite ap- 
preciated the fact that a man so situated and so en- 
tirely callous would, if necessary, secure silence by more 
efficacious means. But the necessity of his silence was, 
after all, an asset, an asset which, multiplied by the 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


possession of the airship, produced a weight of argu- 
ment that appeared almost irresistible. 

The point was to what extent he could divulge 
Langley’s secret — how far it would be safe to tell 
Jones of the power in his hands. 

Strong was still debating on this when Jones broke 
in with the remark that the grave was deep enough. 
The three men picked the body up, and lowered it as 
far as they could into the opening, and then let it fall. 
They shoveled in the earth without more ado, Jones, 
with characteristic thoroughness, so distributing the 
surplus mold that the ground lay smooth and even be- 
neath the smirking Cupid. 

The sun was by this time going down; the men had 
replaced their coats, pulled themselves together, and, 
rather from embarrassment than any other cause, 
glanced simultaneously at the Cupid. Next moment 
they were startled to hear an evidently soprano voice 
singing in a mock contralto ; and the words they heard 
were : — 

“Down among the dead men, 

Down among the dead men. 

Let him lie.” 

The three turned as one man, and glanced behind 
them, to see, forcing her way through the bush-grown 
path, a girl in a white dress. Her eyes were dancing 
and her red-gold hair was tumbling about her face. 

The men stepped back to give her access to the clear- 
ing. She leaned one small hand against the plaster 
pedestal, and looked laughingly at the disconcerted 
group. At the stranger she frowned a little, at Strong 
she smiled a little, to her father she made a little bow. 
She waved her other hand at him. 

“ In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to 
thoughts of love,” she cried, and curtseyed to the 
Cupid. 


MR. MONTGOMERY JONES 


23 


Her father came forward and planted his feet firmly 
on the newly-filled-in grave. 

“ Curiously enough, my dear,” he said placidly, “ we 
were contemplating the mysteries of death.” 

At Mr. Montgomery Jones’ mention of the mysteries 
of death Diana’s eyes hardened a little. She detected 
the irony in his voice, and knew passing well that her 
father’s irony was wont to cover a multitude of 
crimes. 

Her father’s methods, indeed, were drastic, and the 
particular State over which he ruled was placed in a 
sufficiently convenient quarter of the map to allow of 
his combining the business thoroughness of the West 
with the total disregard for other people’s lives and 
feelings that is the dominating characteristic of rulers 
of the East. 

However, she laughed. It is impossible to live in a 
state of perpetual protest against one’s father’s habit- 
ual disregard for the duties imposed upon humanity. 
Diana had, in fact, grown a little callous, and held 
intrigue and duplicity and the shedding of blood in a 
great deal less abhorrence than it was good for a girl of 
her age to do. No girl of nineteen should hold life 
cheap, but it is difficult to resist an almost daily demon- 
stration that the lives of other people count as nothing 
as compared with the priceless value of one’s own. And 
the King of Balkania held his own existence as a jewel 
beyond value. 

Diana, at her father’s light talk of death, instinc- 
tively glanced at John. And at the sight of him a 
little fear crept into her heart. Her father / might 
reckon Strong’s existence as worthless, but to her it 
was even then of some account. 

‘‘ Perhaps,” she said with a gravity that was all the 
more marked because of its suddenness, “ I am intrud- 
ing in a matter of business ? ” 

“ As a matter of fact you are,” he said with a slow 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


smile. But I am sure these gentlemen will excuse 
the interruption.” 

“ The interruption, at any rate,” said Diana, shall 
not be great. I am going back to the house.” 

She made a grave inclination of the head to the 
stranger. At John she flashed a smile. Her father 
she flicked lightly and delicately on the nose with the 
little finger of her right hand. This was a strange 
demonstration of affection, but one on which she placed 
great reliance. 

Though diplomatists did not guess it, Diana’s flick 
of her father’s nose had oftentimes changed the tide 
of international politics. Different things happen to 
different countries according to a monarch’s good or 
bad temper, and Diana’s little flick had frequently re- 
stored the intolerant King of Balkania from a state of 
evil-mindedness to a condition of good-humor. 

Diana laughed and turned away up the path. And 
again, as she swung her hat from the ribbons, she 
sang : — 


“Down among the dead men.” 

Mr. Jones turned to the Sylvanian. 

“ I will not offer you my hospitality,” he said, “ as 
it might be somewhat unwelcome. Allow me to show 
you to your launch.” 

And he walked away towards the river. 

Again the Sylvanian clicked his heels and motioned 
to John to precede him. John smiled at him blandly, 
nodded his head, and followed in the footsteps of Mr. 
Jones. The Sylvanian fell in behind him, and so they 
walked in single file to the bank. There, without more 
ado, the Sylvanian got into the launch and busied him- 
self with the engine. 

Mr. Jones surveyed him with a benign calm from the 
bank. 


MR. MONTGOMERY JONES 


S5 

Another time,” he said to the man in the launch, 

I shall be very charmed to see you if you happen to 
be calling. By the way, when you return give my 
kindest regards to the King, and tell him how sorry I 
am one of his most promising young men should lose ” 
— here he heaved a theatrical sigh — “ should have met 
with so melancholy an end.” 

An angry flood of color tinged the Sylvanian’s face, 
but he lifted his cap with the greatest politeness, and, 
starting the launch, slid away quickly down stream. 

Mr. Montgomery Jones turned towards Strong with 
an easy air and a certain amount of courteousness. 

“ I am sorry I cannot ask you to dinner to-night,” 
he said, ‘‘ but I am dining en famille, and I must ask 
you to excuse me. Early asparagus is a delicate thing, 
and in these matters I am entirely in the hands of my 
chef. 1 have been assured,” he added with a fine touch 
of his chronic irony, “ I have been assured I must not 
be late.” 

He turned away from Strong without one word of 
thanks. He turned away without so much as touching 
on the extraordinary incident of the afternoon. 

“ I regret,” Strong said, “ to detain you. I am pro- 
foundly sorry to keep you from that young asparagus, 
but I feel that the present occasion is the most oppor- 
tune that could present itself for my speaking to you 
on a certain matter. If I am not mistaken, you already 
foresee the possibility of my speaking of a thing that is 
distasteful to you, and I can quite imagine you would 
obviate the necessity of having to discuss it with me 
if it were in any way possible.” 

Mr. Jones’ eyes grew cold behind his glasses, but he 
still held to his manner of easy unconcern, and thought- 
fully began to smooth his mustache. 

“ Yes.? ” he suggested. 

“ Yes,” said Strong, most decidedly yes. Yes, I 
want to speak to you about Diana.” 


^6 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Mr. Jones smiled at him with the air of a kindly elder. 

“ Surely,” he protested, ‘‘ you are a little precipitous. 
Really, I think it would be better if you were to refer 
to my daughter as Miss Jones.” 

“ Perhaps,” said Strong, shortly. ‘‘ It is such a 
romantic name, is it not — Miss Jones? ” 

Mr. Jones sighed. “ What’s in a name? ” he mur- 
mured, and he surveyed the placid evening with placid 
eyes. 

Cannot you realize,” said Strong, “ that there is a 
time when even jesting will not avail the jester? You 
are at perfect liberty to sneer or to laugh as you please, 
but I do not propose to allow you to evade the point.” 

“ Ah,” said Mr. J ones, thoughtfully, “ you do not 
propose to allow me.” 

“ No,” said Strong, shortly, “ I do not. My purpose 
in detaining you — and the matter can be put in a nut- 
shell — is this. I want to marry Miss — er — Jones.” 

‘‘Do you?” inquired Mr. Jones with apparently 
delighted unconcern. 

“ I do,” said Strong. 

Mr. Jones tipped himself on to his toes, and then 
carefully let his heels drop to the earth again. 

“ I am afraid,” he remarked without looking at 
Strong, “ your most flattering request is in vain. 
Charmed as I might be in some circumstances to accept 
you as a son-in-law, the situation at present renders it 
absolutely impossible for me to receive you into the 
bosom of the Jones family.” 

“ Dead men tell no tales,” said Strong, “ unless they 
happen to be disinterred.” 

“ So? ” said Mr. Jones, softly. “ We are coming to 
threats? I had never realized,” he added, and his tone 
was bitter, “ that blackmail was part of a gentleman’s 
attributes.” 

“ Personally,” rejoined Strong, “ I unfortunately re- 
gard myself as above the suggestion.” 


MR. MONTGOMERY JONES 2T 

Hoity-toity ! ” said Mr. Jones, but his eyes nar- 
rowed. This was a shade more dangerous than he had 
expected. Up to then he had laughed at the young 
man who laughed. 

He swung round quickly and looked with a ccJd 
haughtiness up into the big young man’s face. 

My name,” said he, “ is here known as Jones. But 
if you think you are speaking to a mere Mr. Jones, 
you are mistaken. You do not know what you ask any 
more than you know who I am.” 

“ Ah, but I do,” said Strong, softly. I am asking 
Your Majesty for the hand of Her Royal Higlmess.” 


CHAPTER III 


STRONG DECIDES TO STEAL THE EARTH 

Really, young man,” Mr. Jones said, “ you greatly 
relieve my mind. You cannot blackmail kings, and 
blackmail is, I should imagine, your only hold upon 
me.” 

“ Unless,” said Strong, ‘‘ you are thinking very ten- 
derly of that young asparagus I should like to say some- 
thing else, and it is this — that it is not very creditable 
to yourself that you should think so badly of me as to 
suppose for a moment I should blackmail you to the 
extent of asking your daughter’s hand in marriage. 
Permit me also, as an English gentleman, in spite of 
your unpleasant insinuation, to say that, at any rate 
from my point of view, a prospective baronet of 
Great Britain is not so very much outweighed in the 
social scale by a minor monarch whose immediate fore- 
bears came, I believe — at least on one side of the 
family — from Chicago, or was it New York? ” 

Mr. Jones still surveyed Strong in mild wonderment. 

“ Are you ambitious ? ” asked Strong. 

“ My dear boy,” the King of Balkania answered, and 
his tone was quite friendly, “ ambition is solely a mat- 
ter of greed. Perhaps I am a little more egotistical 
than the average man, though probably not more self- 
confident than the average monarch. I may say that I 
regard myself as quite able to take charge of the busi- 
ness of the whole world.” 

“ Then,” rejoined Strong, “ if that be so, there must 
come times to you when you lie awake at night dreaming 
how you may accomplish that lordly ambition.” 

28 


DECIDES TO STEAL THE EARTH ^9 


“Yes,” agreed Mr. Jones, looking a little surprised 
at the turn the conversation was taking. “ I do not 
disguise from you that such moments do occur to me.” 

“ Very well,” said Strong, quietly, “ if you wish to 
accomplish your dreams, you must permit me to marry 
your daughter, commoner though I be. If you will 
allow me, I can place the whole world at your feet. If 
you don’t permit me to marry your daughter, I shall 
be compelled to place the world at my own feet first and 
marry your daughter afterwards.” 

The King of Balkania looked up quickly. “ Very 
interesting, I am sure,” His Majesty remarked, “ and 
may I inquire how you propose to accomplish this stu- 
pendous task.?* ” 

Strong raised a mighty forefinger and sawed it 
through the air. 

“ I am going to steal the world, by way of the air,” 
he said. 

His Majesty’s face had certainly expressed no par- 
ticular concern, but the smile in which he now indulged 
was one of distinct relief. 

“ And a very pretty scheme, too,” he said, “ one I 
have often heard of — one that has been perplexing 
and engrossing the majority of the statesmen and 
scientists of the civilized world for some time. But the 
complete fighting air-machine — which, I grant you, 
when it comes will dominate the earth — will only creep 
on us by degrees. Such things do not come in a night.” 

“ The thief comes in the night,” said Strong, “ and 
I propose to commit theft on the largest possible scale. 
It is my fixed intention to steal the earth. There is no 
reason,” he went on, in quick, even tones, “ why I should 
play into your hands by telling you the power of which 
I am possessed. I didn’t suppose before, and I don’t 
suppose now, that what must sound like a very bold 
boast would influence you in the least. I knew you would 
refuse to allow me to marry your daughter. The lack 


30 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


of consent, indeed, rather relieves me; it sets me at 
liberty to prove to you that the words I have spoken to 
you are true.” 

The King of Balkania looked at Strong thoughtfully 
for some seconds, and as he looked at him he grew a 
shade uneasy. He turned away, and then he turned 
sharply back again to Strong and asked this unexpected 
question : 

‘‘ Do you play poker.? ” 

' Even this out-of-place query, however, did not dis- 
concert Strong. He nodded his head. 

“ Then I’ll call your ‘ bluff,’ ” said Mr. Jones. ‘‘ I 
am going back to the asparagus.” 

Strong laughed, the light, buoyant laugh of the as yet 
unbeaten prize-fighter climbing through the ropes into 
the ring. Compromise was now impossible, and so he. 
contemplated the coming campaign with joyousness of 
heart. 

He stepped into the punt and sent the squat-nosed 
craft skimming over the water. At the further bank he 
stepped ashore, and walked briskly across the strip 
of grass between the ditch and the straggling shanty 
which was, by courtesy, termed “ The Bungalow.” 

Here he leaned one of his great shoulders against a 
prop of the verandah and bellowed rather than called — 

“ Here, Joe, I want you.” He then swung round, 
sat himself with a crash on the verandah steps and 
pulled his faithful briar from his pocket. 

Joe came shuffling out of the bungalow. He almost 
dragged his length to Strong’s side and perched gingerly 
on the rickety steps. Pie was as tall as Strong, but 
gawky. He was one of those men who seem to be 
always growing out of their clothes, even when they are 
octogenarians. A hawk-like nose dwarfed the other 
features of his pale, thin face, except that a pair of 
immense and ruddy ears stood out from the sides of 
his head like sails. The hawk-like nose supported 


DECIDES TO STEAL THE EARTH 31 


large, gold-rimmed spectacles, the curving frames of 
which were securely anchored round liis ears. He 
glanced sideways at Strong in a mild, inquiring way. 

“ Seen anything? ” asked Strong. 

Joe shook his head. He seldom saw anything, except 
the mechanical detail with which for the time being 
he was engaged. 

“ Heard anything? ” asked Strong. 

Again Joe shook his head. He never heard anything 
at all, unless he were roughly roused from his con- 
centration on his studies. 

“Match,” said Strong. 

Joe rooted in the pockets of his ragged Norfolk 
jacket and produced a packet of decidedly dilapidated 
matches. 

Strong sniffed at the dingy contents of the match- 
box, but used them to light his pipe. 

“ Just give your mind to me,” he said to Joe, “ and 
I’ll teU you something that will make your ears flop.” 

Joe grinned, and with a lank forefinger settled his 
glasses on the bridge of his nose. This was a habit 
of his when he was making an effort to appear 
interested. 

“ Our neighbor across the river,” said Strong, “ by 
the name of Mr. Jones, is a sort of ultra-modern and 
ultra-romantic Jekyll and Hyde. Mr. Jones, I may 
inform you, combines in his person the Yankee million- 
aire with the King of Balkania.” 

J oe Langley smiled feebly. He was sufficiently inter- 
ested in mundane affairs to realize that it was unusual 
for a real monarch to be masquerading on the Thames 
as a common person. His only concern with regard 
to his neighbor across the water up till then, however, 
had been the surpassing beauty of his daughter — a 
beauty which Langley admired from the respectful 
distance necessitated by the width of the river. That 
beauty, too, he strongly suspected, accounted for the 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


otherwise sociable Strong making unwonted and appar- 
ently lonely expeditions at all hours of the day and 
evening. 

“ Yes,” said Strong, “Mr. Jones is a real, live king, 
and although you mayn’t believe it, some friends of his, 
or rather enemies, tried to pot him this afternoon. 
But Jones was too quick, and shot his man, and I helped 
to bury the corpse under a plaster Cupid.” 

Langley stared at Strong with as much concern as 
though his friend had been stating that the formula for 
water was not H2O. 

Strong saw his awakened wonderment and laughed 
aloud. 

“ Quite true, my boy,” he said. “ It is perfectly 
true, as you will soon discover. For when we buried the 
dead it occurred to me to ask for Miss Jones’ hand in 
marriage, in quite the orthodox and old-fashioned way. 
But Miss Jones, you see, is a princess, and, therefore, 
not for the likes of me, and Papa Jones was rude, and so 
was I — and now it is war to the knife.” 

Langley turned his gig-lamp gaze on Strong. 

“ But you can’t go to war with kings,” he grumbled. 

“ Of course I can,” cried Strong. “ And, what’s 
more, I’m not going to make war on one king, I’m going 
to make war on many. I am going to do a great deal 
more than that. I am going to become a king myself. 
I am going to become the biggest thing in the way of a 
crowned ‘ boss ’ that ever any one imagined.” Strong 
rose to his feet and clutched the supports of the 
verandah in his great hands as if he were Samson about 
to pull down the pillars of the temple. “ I am going to 
be the most wholesale Napoleon that even I myself could 
imagine.” 

Then he caught Joe a sounding thwack on the 
shoulder, which brought Langley to his feet, with an air 
of apologetic protest. “ And you,” Strong shouted, 

are going to help me ! You are the man who is going 


DECIDES TO STEAL THE EARTH 33 


to give me the power! Yours are the brains that will 
really enable me to live up to all these boasts 1 ” 

“ I! ” said Joe, his mouth open. 

“You!” said Strong. And he dug a mighty fore- 
finger into Joe’s ribs with a little laugh of kindly deri- 
sion. “ Does not that blessed air-ship of yours work ? ” 
he asked. “ Haven’t we proved its capacities up to the 
hilt.f^ Couldn’t it be turned into the most ghastly 
weapon of offense and destruction that man ever devised 
to make otlier men miserable ? ” 

“ Oh, but you can’t,” said Joe, in a worried voice ; 
“ you can’t possibly. I never meant it for things like 
that. I don’t quite know what I did mean it for, but I 
wasn’t inventing an engine of destruction when I got 
that air-ship right. I don’t quite know what I did mean 
it for — I don’t think I quite know now how it may be 
used, only somehow. Strong ” — he laid a hand as tender 
as an appealing woman’s on Strong’s forearm — “ I had 
a sort of vague idea that it might do some good. I had 
a sort of notion that it would provide a means of transit 
so dheap and so easy that it would enable every one to 
get all over the world, and somehow, by a system of 
visits of friendships between nation and nation, might 
pave the way to an international entente.’* 

“ Yes, you sleepy old dreamer,” said Strong, “ you 
are so full of the milk of human kindness that you are 
after the millennium, but all the writers and all the 
theorists are against you. They never reach the millen- 
nium, except by way of Armageddon, and I am going 
to be the maker of Armageddon. I want Diana, 
and Armageddon is the only way.” 

Joe gazed at Strong almost beseechingly through his 
glasses. 

“ But you can’t love Diana,” he urged, “ or you 
wouldn’t think of anything so horrible.” He came 
nearer to Strong and looked into his face earnestly, 
almost wistfully. “ Love,” he said, “ should lead one 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


84 < 

to gentleness and not to the battle and murder and 
sudden death that you are talking about so callously. 
Doesn’t Diana lead you to any feeling of gentleness? ” 

A shadow of trouble gathered in Strong’s eyes. 

‘‘ Yes,” he said slowly, “ yes. Diana does lead me 
to gentleness. I hate what I must do, but do it I must. 
It is the only way. With Diana for an inspiration, I 
can give peace to all the world. Without her, I can do 
nothing. And I can only win her through war. But it 
will be a war which leads to peace and to happiness.” 

The shade of trouble left his eyes, and he laughed 
again. “ Meantime,” he cried, and there was no soft- 
ness in his voice now, ‘‘ let’s go and have another look 
at our flying tin-kettle. I am going to steal the earth ! ” 
Strong led the way into the bungalow, which was 
constructed in three parts. On the right of the entrance 
lay John’s sleeping-room, and on the left, Langley’s. 
The main portion of the building was, by a flight of 
imagination, called the “ sitting-room.” On either side 
of the fireplace, which contained a pocket edition of a 
range, designated as the “ cooker,” were two easy- 
chairs. In the direction of Langley’s sleeping cabin 
was a litter of wood shavings and metal strips. 

Since these oddly assorted friends had come down 
from Oxford they had lived the simple life in excelsis, 
Langley lived it because he was acquainted with no 
other mode of existence and was far too wrapped up in 
the darling scheme of his heart to trouble much about 
his material surroundings. Strong lived the uncivilized 
life in the midst of civilization because he enjoyed its 
freedom, and it was the logical corollary to his friend- 
ship with Joe. Possessed of an income sufficient to 
enable him to lounge gracefully through life, with head- 
quarters at the Albany, Strong was far too lazy to 
adopt the busiest of all roles — that of the man about 
town who does nothing. Just as he was too lazy to play 
on the lines laid down by society, so he was infinitely 


DECIDES TO STEAL THE EARTH 35 


too lazy to work on the lines prescribed by business men 
or the exigencies of life in the Colonies or abroad. He 
lived to loaf, and to loaf is easy; and so it had seemed 
to him that there was no spot more fitted for this 
entirely self-centered mode of existence than the shanty- 
looking bungalow on the banks of the Thames in which 
Langley was conducting his really momentous experi- 
ments. 

When they had removed the bungalow from the charge 
of an extremely grateful house-agent the year before, 
Strong had sufficient faith in Langley’s mechanical 
genius to register a vow that h'e would remain beside him 
till his experiments were complete. 

Langley was the only human being for whom, till 
then, he had ever held any regard, and Langley only 
appealed to him as a child would have done, because 
of his innocence of this world’s ways, his entire igno- 
rance of the machinations of enemies which were certain 
to encompass him the moment his secret became noised 
abroad, and because his heart instructed him to some 
extent to take care of this silent, timorous and docile 
gawk. 

The household which they established answered 
extremely well. Langley did not care where he laid 
his lank bones so long as he could sleep. Strong held 
delicate surroundings in abhorrence, and even the camp 
bed that he purchased for the bungalow seemed a 
ridiculous luxury. 

Thus these two men, who were shortly to become 
the terror of a complex and, as Strong held, a too 
effeminate generation, lived their self-absorbed, though 
really blameless, lives beside the Thames. 

Then had come the arrival of Mr. Montgomery Jones, 
and all Strong’s simple spirit had risen in horror at the 
sight of what he considered the profligate luxury of the 
American millionaire. 

But then there was the sight of Diana. Diana had 


86 


HE CX)NQUERED THE KAISER 


stood among the rhododendrons on the river’s bank 
when Strong had gone by in his skiff. 

When he had passed, Strong became suddenly con- 
scious that a new thing had befallen him. So he had 
turned the skiff about and pulled back. Diana was 
still on the bank, her eyes shining and her lips smiling. 

Then a sudden impulse took hold of Strong. He 
put the boat to shore and stepped on to the bank, bliss- 
fully unmindful of the fact that he was trespassing — 
and trespassing without consideration for the converir 
ances or even that politeness which is due to a lady. 

He had stood on the bank in complete silence and 
surveyed Diana of the red-gold hair and the golden, 
dancing eyes with new and profound and completely 
engrossed rapture. 

And Diana of the golden eyes had surveyed his 
enormous bulk and that face of his — which would have 
been so ridiculously good-looking but for its ominous 
and big-boned strength — with a new admiration for 
the human species. 

They found each other entirely wholesome and beau- 
tiful to behold. They were attracted instinctively, 
each by the outward glory of the other. Their hearts 
were light, their digestions perfect, their cares nil. 

It was not by any means love at first sight which 
so completely mastered their senses from the first. 
Both rej oiced in their own health and their own strength 
and their own beauty, and they rejoiced the more 
because of the counterpart of that health and that 
beauty and that stren^h which they beheld also in 
each other. 

Strong had been invited to the millionaire’s house. 
He lunched there, and he dined there; and he detested 
the gorgeous rooms and all the petty details of a re- 
straining refinement which was wholly distasteful to 
his. strength and really half-savage nature. He liked 
the open, best, where the sun shone or the wind blew or 


DECIDES TO STEAL THE EARTH 37 


the rain fell; he liked the good earth and the good 
water and the good wind. He could rejoice in his 
strength there, and there he could best appreciate the 
radiant personality of Diana. For Diana — as he first 
knew her, Diana Jones — was just as much a goddess 
of the open air as was the old Diana of the Silver Bow. 

The accidental discovery, made by a diplomatic 
friend who was spending a weekend with Strong, that 
Jones was no less a person than the King of Balkania, 
and Diana, the Princess Diana, had not displeased 
Strong in the least. Socially, it set her far above him ; 
romantically, it drew her nearer ; and Strong possessed 
the dual capacity for romance and business that makes 
the daring and successful man. 

At the outset Strong had been innocent of any idea 
of turning Langley’s inventive genius to his own ends. 
That purpose, the purpose which became a peril to 
other people because of Strong’s necessities, had only 
come with the advent of Diana. Then he learned that 
it v/ould enable him to encircle the world; he knew 
that it would enable him to play the part of a destroyer 
or a maker of men ; and that part he was now fully 
prepared to play, since he had boldly and blindly asked 
for the hand of Diana, and been refused by her astute 
and dangerous parent. 

Thus it was with a new sense of coming activity 
and power that he preceded the shuffling Langley into 
the shed at the back of the bungalow, where was housed 
the concern which was to alter the face of civilization. 

It was growing dusk by now, and the silver symmetry 
of the airship gleamed in the shadows. 

It had taken a year to build, bit by bit. It had been 
Strong who, in his caution, had drawn skilled mechanics 
from different parts of the country to complete each 
section of the machine. 

These mechanics, keen-eyed men with grubby hands, 
had done their work in ignorance of what they were 


38 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


doing. They had worked alone in the little outhouse, 
under the directions of Langley, and the money, which 
was handed to them with an apparently over-generous 
hand by Strong, was sufficient to lull any suspicions that 
they might have harbored. 

So now the airship stood perfect, and beautiful in its 
perfection. Its length was about fifteen feet, and its 
shape the shape of a cigar. It was decked at either end, 
as a life-boat is decked, and in the center rose a small 
conning tower of a shape that one is familiar with on 
submarines. Just aft of the midships was a well, which 
would comfortably seat two persons. In the center of 
the well was a little table, and arranged in a neat row 
on an aluminium slab, a succession of bright ivory but- 
tons. Four shafts, hinged at the bases so that they 
could be lowered like the funnels of a Thames steamer, 
rose to the height of twelve feet, two in the bows and two 
in the stern. They were surmounted by curiously wing- 
shaped aluminium propellers — indeed, in appearance 
they were rather like large electric fans. 

At the fore and stem of the craft were two other 
wing-like propellers fixed to horizontal steel shafts that 
could be run in and out like the bowsprit of a sailing 
boat. 

The engines, infinitely compact, occupied a space 
not much larger than is enclosed by the bonnet of a 
good-sized motor-car. They were worked by elec- 
tricity, and a neat row of batteries was housed in an 
aluminium-framed, glass-sided, glass-topped case. 

For fully five minutes Strong and Langley stood 
apart, looking at this beautiful piece of handiwork, each 
man dreaming his own dream. 

At last Strong turned to Langley and linked his arm 
through his. 

‘‘ Look here, old chap,” he said. ‘‘ Have I your 
leave to do as I want to do with this airship ? ” 

I suppose so,” said Langley, and he did not take 


DECIDES TO STEAL THE EARTH 39 


his eyes off the machine. It did not occur to him to 
dispute Strong’s will or to query Strong’s motives. 

“ I am entirely dependent on you,” said Strong, and 
his voice was strangely confident for a man who pleads 
dependency. ‘‘ I need this invention of yours to win 
Diana. I confess even that motive does not seem at the 
moment particularly worthy, and yet, and yet, I feel — 
oh, hang it all ! I can’t exactly explain to you why — 
that it will be a worthy motive some day.” 

Now Langley from afar off had beheld through his 
gold-rinuned spectacles the astounding radiance of 
Diana. The rays of her dazzling personality had fallen 
on him, but only so faintly that he found Diana herself 
was unattainable. She had, indeed, not swayed him 
suflSciently to allow her to outweigh the devotion which 
he felt was due to Strong. Strong it was to a great 
extent who had inspired him; Strong it was who had 
cheered him in his long task; Strong it was who had 
sheltered him and protected him from intrusion in the 
work to which he had given his life. Langley was 
grateful with a gratitude passing the love of women, 
and oblivious of the fact that the sacrifice which he was 
making was altogether too great. He surrendered 
everything to Strong. 

‘‘ If she will help you win Diana,” he said, nodding 
in the gloom at the airship, “ you can do whatever you 
like; only,” he added, falteringly, after the manner of 
the woman who makes a concession against her will, 
“ only — I will look to you to see us through the trouble 
that you are bound to make.” 

“ Trouble ! ” said Strong. Troubles, my dear chap, 
are only made to be surmounted. I am looking for 
trouble now. I want to find it. Trouble is the only 
way to Diana. Trouble and I shall be friends. To- 
night,” he went on, ‘‘ we will put the thing to one last 
test, and we will give it a name worthy of the cause. 
We wiU call our airship the ‘ Di.’ ” 


40 


HE CX)NQUERED THE KAISER 


“ And the die is cast,” said Langley. He tittered ; 
it was seldom he made jokes. 

‘‘ Then out with her — out into the dark and let us 
see what we can do,” cried Strong, and he laid his great 
hands on the gunwale and bent his body forward to run 
the airship down the slips on which she rested. 

Slowly the little vessel got under way. Then the 
two men, without a word, clambered in. Langley 
pressed the button marked ‘‘ A,” and the wing-like 
propellers at the bows and the stern of the aluminium 
craft slowly began to revolve. 

The slips ran down a little, and then up a slight 
incline, fashioned somewhat after the manner of a 
switchback. 

As they came to the limits of the slips, Langley 
pressed the button “ B.” 

Overhead the wing-like propellers on the uprights 
began to revolve swiftly. 

With a sickly little plunge the “ Hi ” drifted off the 
end of the slips and rose quietly and silently into the 
cool, fresh air of the summer night. 


CHAPTER IV 


A FLIGHT BY NIGHT 

The rush of air on his face brought out Strong’s latent 
forces to the full. 

“ Shift over a bit, sonny,” he said, “ and let me have 
the buttons. If you think she’ll stand it, we’ll play a 
tune on the ‘ Di ’ to-night that we have not done before.” 

“ All right,” said Langley, and he shuffled his lanky 
body to make way for Strong. 

“ First of all,” said Strong, we’ll test her in the 
paddock.” 

The paddock lay beneath them, about two acres in 
extent, and was really only a rough clearing cut in a 
thick wood of young pine trees. 

Strong put his finger on the button S,” which 
stood for “ Slow,” then on the button “ L,” which 
stood for ‘‘ Lower.” They dropped softly down a few 
feet above the ground. 

Strong sat with his feet on the pedals which turned 
the airship to port and starboard — to left and right. 

He turned her in against the trees, and then brought 
her head round again silently and softly, at about five 
miles an hour. They circled round the paddock. 

“ The best thing, I think,” said Strong, at length, 
“ would be to take her in the middle and then let her 
jump. I suppose she will jump all right.? ” 

“ Try her,” said Langley. His thin smile was drawn 
nearly to his ears. His eyes glistened with affectionate 
pride behind his gold-rimmed spectacles. 

Strong brought the “ Di ” round again and put her 
head due norths With an ease bom of long practice 
41 


4<2 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


on a dummy keyboard, he placed his thumb on Up.” 
The “ Di ” quivered, and then the earth rushed away 
from them. The “ Di ” appeared to be stationary in 
the dark, soft air, while the world fled from beneath 
them. The key of the recorder before them was work- 
ing slowly round. 

‘‘ Two thousand,” said Strong, and placed his fingers 
on ‘‘ Steady.” The “ Di ” hovered, quivering like a 
hawk poised. The simile seemed to strike him. ‘‘ By 
gad, old man!” he cried, ‘‘ this is a new feeling. We 
are birds to-night — birds of prey.” 

‘‘ Not yet, I hope,” said Langley, and he glanced over 
the edge of the little craft. 

“ Good, so far,” said Strong ; more than good — 
excellent! Now to see what we can do! The moon is 
young, the wind east, and so we will wait till it’s a bit 
darker — and for the rain.” 

He pointed westward, and Langley saw a cloud-bank 
crawling slowly over the far horizon of the distant world. 
So they hung there, two thousand feet above the 
bungalow, for nigh upon an hour. Above them the pro- 
pellers whirred with no more noise than that of the 
purring of some great cat. 

The little air-craft was not entirely still, and so what 
they could see of the earth beneath them quivered 
quickly like the film of a cinematograph in full play. 
Far away to the eastward the lights of London shone, 
like the faint glow of a distant prairie fire. Here and 
there below them they could discern a few feeble lights. 
Thus they waited for the cloud-bank to steal nearer 
and nearer, until at length it interposed itself between 
them and the earth like a soft, diaphanous curtain. 

When the curtain had been entirely drawn across be- 
tween them and the world. Strong put his pipe back into 
his pocket and braced himself once again to play the 
tune which he had threatened on the bright ivory 
buttons. 


A FLIGHT BY NIGHT 


43 


Four minutes’ swift flight brought them to where 
Whitebrook runs into the Thames. They skirted the 
wood by the river, and dropped in the field beside the 
roadway. The ‘‘ Di ” stood on her four legs. The 
rain-mist had lifted, and the moon, which had risen 
steadily, now shone clear, throwing a silver light over 
the meadow and making the high road gleam white as 
though it “were frosted. 

Langley was a shade nervous. “ Surely,” he said, 
“ we are a little bit close to the high road, and can be 
seen.” 

“ That is the beauty of it,” said Strong. “ Now is 
the time to test the ‘ Di ’ if anybody comes along. Pro- 
vided we keep a bright look-out, we cannot conveniently 
be spotted. We can see for half a mile either way, and 
we can ‘ jump ’ her before any man’s eyes can follow 
us.” 

“ Yes,” said Langley, “ but what about a car.? ” 

His words appeared to carry with them a prophecy, 
for at that moment they caught from the south the 
steady but distant hum of a racing motor. 

There you are ! ” said Strong. There’s your 
car. Now for the jump.” 

He put his finger on the button which should have 
made them rise; but the button declined to be de- 
pressed. The hum of the approaching motor grew 
louder. Strong, with one of his wild and sudden im- 
pulses, had a desire to smash the button down. In lieu 
of this, he applied a steady but gentle pressure; but 
the button held fast. 

The hum of the coming car grew louder. Strong 
tried to wriggle the button to and fro between his fin- 
gers, but it would not move. The head-lights of the 
car came dancing wickedly down the road. 

Strong turned to Langley. ‘‘If you can’t manage 
this better than I can,” he said, “we’re spotted, for 
certain sure.” 


44 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Langley took charge of the button, but it still held 
fast. The car was now upon them, and went by with 
a rush. On the near side was seated a man with his 
head huddled in his coat. A shaft of light from the 
powerful acetylene lamps glinted for a moment on the 
“ Di,” and the aluminium shell of the craft sent back 
a bright ray of light. The man in the car caught the 
beam and turned his head sharply. It was so near 
to the roadway that Strong and Langley caught sight 
of the features of his face. It was ‘‘ Mr. Montgomery 
Jones.” 

The car went by with the roar of a pilot-engine 
running free. 

Langley turned to Strong and peered into his face 
in the gloom. Jones,” he said, “ and he saw us.” 

Yes,” said Strong. ‘‘ He saw us all right, and 
he will be back in a minute. Now,” he added, with a 
little laugh, “ get to work with the button. We’re up 
against the real thing now, and if the ‘ Di ’ fails us 
we’re in for a hot time. Jones is not the kind of man 
to be over particular about putting us out of the way 
quietly while he has the opportunity.” 

Langley’s thin hands were shaking. He bent over 
the buttons, and his fingers ran with tremulous and 
swift affection above them and below them and around 
them. 

Strong sat quietly by, lighting his pipe. ‘‘ Don’t 
hurry, old man,” he said, “ but he’s coming back.” 

He had heard the grating of the changed speed 
and the grinding of the brakes on the car. There was 
a gur~r-rumph, and the motor came sliding swiftly back 
along the moonlit roadway. 

‘‘ All right,” said Langley, “ we’ve got clear. 
Quick! Quick! or we’ll never jump her.” 

Pie stepped into the airship as he said this, and 
Strong jumped in after him. The “ Di ” rose slowly 


A FLIGHT BY NIGHT 


45 


at first, and then faster and faster. The car rushed 
bj them and beneath them with a rattle and a roar. 

Strong, kneeling on the floor of the “ Di,” craned 
over the side and laughed down into Jones’ staring, up- 
turned face. 

Below them Strong saw a bright spit of flame. 
Hard after the spit of flame came a* dull thud on the 
bottom of the airship which made the “ Di ” jump like 
a live thing which is hit. The bullet plowed through 
the aluminium bottom of the car, crashed through the 
glass casing round the batteries, and went upwards, 
nicking a chip out of one of the now swiftly whirling 
propellers. 

“ Gad ! ” said Strong, still straining over the car, 
“ but Mr. Montgomery Jones is what they would call 
on the other side of the water ‘ hot stuff.’ ” He 
laughed aloud. 

The Di ” had now risen so high that it was only 
just possible to observe the bright lights of the car 
beneath them. 

“ Steady her,” said Strong. They may be able to 
tee us, but I doubt it. At any rate, we can see them.” 

The lights from the car’s lamps shone like fixed 
beacons for a few moments. Then they saw the lights 
shoot forward and dance round the turning of the road. 

“ Home, coachman ! ” cried Strong. 

‘‘ Home? ” echoed Langley. 

“ Home — yes, home, you stupid old chump ! ” said 
Strong. 

“ And what then? ” 

“What then? We will see. They can’t do very 
much. Fortunately I spotted the man who was driving, 
but it wasn’t a servant or any one who’ll blab. It was 
Ludwig — His Royal Highness Prince Ludwig of Syl- 
vania, the accredited -fiance of Princess Diana of Bal- 
kania, a charming lady, who, however, is destined for 


46 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


another man. There’s just one other thing, however,” 
Strong continued, that we’ve got to put to the test. 
It is a thing we haven’t tried yet, and I would not have 
tried to-night, if it could have possibly been helped, 
but we have really got to see whether this blessed air- 
ship of yours will take to the water like the duck you 
say she is. 

“ Now, don’t let us have any mistake this time,” he 
went on, about the mechanism of the thing. While 
we are running along, just try the false keel. If she 
jams when we touch the water, I’m afraid our chances 
of keeping this cockleshell upright are not particularly 
great.” 

Without a word, Langley bent forward and touched 
the inevitable button. Slowly from the center of the 
craft there sank down to the depth of three feet a thin 
but hollow false keel. Three times he lowered the keel 
and three times he fetched it up. 

“ Good,” said Strong. “ Now, my boy,” he added, 
‘‘ make for the bank, right opposite the bungalow, and 
into the water we go.” 

They went down, down, down, so swiftly that they 
caught their breath, so swiftly that they had a sense 
of falling through space as though they would never 
stop. Then, suddenly, with the same sickening feeling 
of rising rapidly to a great height, which overcomes 
people descending the shaft of coal mines when the 
speed of the descending cage is slackened, the “ Di ” 
came to a standstill just above the river bank. 

‘‘ Now get her into the water,” said Strong. 

The “ Di ” dropped into the river with a slight hiss 
and a swish, and the sheen of the aluminium was dimmed 
by the water’s touch. But she bore her baptism well, 
the keel sliding down easily and swiftly. She rocked 
a little, and then floated still and quiet upon the placid 
water. The propeller in the bow was brought up at 
the angle of a clipper ship’s jib-boom. 


A FLIGHT BY NIGHT 


47 


Then the shaft of the propeller at the stern was 
drawn in till the propeller itself lay close against the 
“ Di’s ” stern. 

Langley let the propeller have a couple of turns, 
which proved that the aluminium craft could keep her 
station against the outgoing tides. 

A triangular steel rudder, very cunningly devised, 
took a few seconds to adjust beyond the slowly-turning 
propeller. In a trice the airship was transformed into 
one of the nattiest launches that ever ripped a river 
into ripples. 

“ Put her in alongside the bank by the bungalow,” 
Strong ordered. “ Keep her in under the willows. 
Shove her right in so that we are screened. I don’t 
suppose that Mr. Jones will show himself, but he might. 
At any rate, we can watch from there.” 

The “ Di ” crept into the bank, slowly and quietly, 
and bobbed to a standstill under the trees. Strong and 
Langley sat in silence, staring with straining eyes at 
the further bank. 

Presently Strong turned sharp round to Langley in 
the gloom, and there was excitement in his face. From 
his pocket he drew a six-shooter and put it into Lang- 
ley’s hands. ^ 

“ Remember,” he said, that your life and mine, 
and perhaps Diana’s, will very shortly hang on this 
craft of ours ; so you are here on sentry-go, my boy, 
and don’t forget your duty. Meantime,” and here he 
laughed a queer little laugh, I am off to the trysting- 
place. So long ! ” 

He hoisted his enormous body gently over the side 
of the launch and dropped with the faintest splash into 
the river. Without another word he began to swim 
quietly away. He trod the water and let the tide 
carry him down the stream towards Maidenhead for 
three hundred yards or so. Then he landed, wrung 
the water out of his dripping canvas trousers and out 


48 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


of his skirt, puUed his belt one hole tighter, and braced 
himself for his prowl back through the bushes to Mr. 
Jones’ house. 

Somewhere close at hand a dog yapped; a voice 
cursed the animal. Again there was silence, and Strong 
threaded his way past the stables, and so came to the 
left wing of the low-built, straggling dwelling-house. 

Diana’s room, he knew, was on the north side. Be- 
neath her window ran a path, bordered by a wide box- 
hedge. He crept along the further side of the hedge 
until he came opposite to the light which he was seek- 
ing. 

A verandah ran entirely round the house, the roof of 
it forming a balcony. A Virginia creeper, trained 
from the ground to the roof, served as a thin screen 
between the windows and the balustrade of the bal- 
cony. From his hiding-place in the box-hedge Strong 
hooted feebly like a young owl. Strong had hooted 
before, and knew that Diana would understand. 

The light went out, and presently his eyes, by this 
time accustomed to the dark, could discern a white 
figure, half-hidden, behind the tracery of the creeper. 

He stepped quickly across the path and sheltered 
as much as he could in the shadows of the verandah. 
Then, craning upwards, he called ‘‘ Di ! ” so softly that 
his voice just carried to the balcony above. 

A rumpled head was thrust through the creepers, 
and in the gloom Strong caught a glint of Diana’s 
white teeth bared in a wide smile. 

“ Hush ! ” she whispered from above him. 

“ Listen ! ” said Strong. Listen ! I want to 
speak to you quickly on a matter that is urgent.” 
His tone was cold, almost dictatorial. 

‘‘ Another lecture, I suppose,” breathed Diana, 
“ from the man who steals the earth ! Oh, yes ! I’ve 
heard about it from father. And there you are, the 
conqueror of the universe, unable to reach your lady’s 


A FLIGHT BY NIGHT 


49 


bower.” She laughed lightly, and again the dog by the 
stables yapped. 

“We will see,” said Strong, pulling a voluminous 
handkerchief from his pocket and tying it breast-high 
around the pillar of the verandah. With the loose ends 
he made a loop ; a second later he had shinned up and 
got his right foot firmly fixed in the impromptu stirrup. 
With a swift, silent jump he was astride the balustrade. 
Gently he climbed over and drew near to Diana in the 
darkness. 

“ Who says that I cannot reach my lady’s bower.? ” 
he asked. 

“ Yes,” said Diana, “ but not boldly or openly. I 
don’t know that I want a knight who steals upon me 
like a thief.” 

The patter of the water dripping from Strong’s 
clothes arrested her attention. She peered at him, and 
then put out her hand and touched him. 

“ Why, you are wringing wet,” she whispered. 

“ I know,” said Strong ; “ I swam here.” 

“ Surely you know,” continued Strong, “ that your 
father’s ^ hired assassins,’ or whatever he calls his re- 
tainers, arrived here to-night, were summoned here by 
telephone, and are swarming in the garden now. Well, 
I am too young, and life is too sweet, for me to appre- 
ciate the feel of cold steel in my ribs.” 

Again Diana laughed, and the callousness of laughter 
at such a time wounded Strong not a little. 

“ It is rather funny, isn’t it,” he said, with a change 
of bitterness, “ to think that I must come here like a 
thief and run the risk of murder.? ” 

But Diana only mocked him. “ Surely,” she 
taunted, “ the man who steals the earth is not afraid 
of that .? ” 

“ Di ! Di ! ” cried Strong, “ let us stop this foolery 
and be serious. This is the beginning of serious 
things.” 


50 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


“ For you or for me? ” asked Diana. 

“ For both, dear, for both. I am in for it now up 
to the hilt, and therefore you are in it too.” 

“ So ! ” purred Diana. She made a little curtsey. 

Strong caught her hand. “ Am I not to be your 
knight, ” he asked, “ even if I steal you ? ” 

“ My dear boy,” answered Diana, “ you have got a 
great deal of theft to perpetrate first. There’s the 
earth, you know.” 

“ Yes, yes,” said Strong. “ All in good time. If 
Rome was not built in a day, you can’t steal the earth 
in a week. If I did steal it, would you — would you 
then stop laughing, for once, and marry me? ” 

“ Well, yes,” said Diana. I think if you accom- 
plished anything so colossal as that, I really would, 
and yet I don’t see how ^ — unless you propose to make 
papa abdicate or rob him of his kingdom and get your- 
self crowned in his place — that the match will be pos- 
sible at all. 

“ What utter nonsense all this is ! ” she continued. 

Here you stand, talking of monarchs and kings and 
stealing the world and a few other small matters, as if 
such things were trifles to be got through between 
breakfast and lunch. Why, I haven’t even seen that 
airship of yours yet, and unless it is wonderful indeed, 
all your pretty scheming must fall with a bump to the 
ground — like your airship, I should think.” 

“ Look here,” Strong said slowly, “ I feel you may 
not believe me; I realize that, looking at me, my ideas, 
my dreams, may seem absurd, but none the less they 
are dreams and ideas which I intend to put into con- 
crete form. I hate this horrid old world as it is. I 
hate the misery, bom of misunderstanding, the torture 
of human beings because the whole world lives from 
hour to hour, week to week, and year to year, under a 
terrible dread of another frightful war. I propose to 


A FLIGHT BY NIGHT 


51 


make one last war. It will be the sharpest, shortest, 
and perhaps the cruelest war on record. That is not 
my fault. But whereas I shall kill thousands, if things 
drift on as they are drifting the nations of the world 
will, in the end, kill, not their millions, but their thou- 
sands of millions. You may say it is somewhat para- 
doxical for me to wish to bring about universal peace 
by universal war. But that is my conception of what 
I must do. I cannot be dictator of the millennium if I 
am not first dictator of Armageddon.” For a few mo- 
ments Diana stared at him in great wonderment. 

It seemed to Strong’s hungry eyes that for once she 
was about to look on the serious side of things and 
share his great ideals. 

His hopes, however, were thrust back on him. First 
he saw Diana smile, and then laugh. And it hurt him 
that she did not understand. 

So he changed his ground, and, falling in with Di- 
ana’s mood, began to laugh himself. “ Seeing is be- 
lieving, I suppose,” he said, ‘‘ and therefore you shall 
see. I tell you what, Di, I tell you what — I will get 
back now, and then come back again — if you will 
wait. I will go back and fetch the airship, and if you 
will just stay here you shall behold me — master of 
the situation and master of the air, hanging around 
your balcony in a species of aerial motor-omnibus. 

“ But it will be tricky work. It means dodging 
back through your father’s men below and then another 
swim. But that will do me good, for, upon my soul, 
when one’s wet the summer night is not so warm as one 
thinks it is.” He shivered a little. 

Diana was looking out across the garden. If you 
are cold,” she said, “ it seems to me that there is a 
good-sized fire over there at which you will be able to 
warm yourself.” 

Strong followed her pointing hand, and from the 


52 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


other side of the river he saw rising a red, steady glare. 
Even as he looked long tongues of flame shot up above 
the red h \ie. 

“ Good Lord ! ” he cried. “ The devils ! Oh, the 
devils ! ” 

Diana had half a mind to rebuke him for his forget- 
fulness of her presence, but, beholding the amazement 
and the anger on his face» she remained silent. Then 
she asked, in a hard voice, as Strong still stared, fas- 
cinated by the blaze — 

“Am I to suppose that this is my father’s work?” 

“ I’m afraid it is, my dear,” said Strong. “ I am 
very much afraid it is. In any case, it needs my imme- 
diate attention. Some pleasant person is evidently 
trying to bum my bungalow down, or, at any rate, the 
shed.” 

“ And the airship? ” asked Di. 

“ The airship,” said Strong. “ Oh, that is safe 
enough for me to fulfill my promise of coming back to 
you. But this is where I cease love-making and get to 
work.” 

The prospect of the struggle across the water had 
brought back his good humor. He encased one of 
Diana’s little hands in his own huge grasp, lifted her 
fingers to his lips and kissed them. Then he scrambled 
lightly over the balustrade and slid down the post. 

A moment later, regardless of the many risks he 
might be running, he was racing down the path through 
the bushes towards the plaster Cupid, and so on to the 
river bank. On the edge of it stood two men staring 
across the water at the blaze. 

Of them Strong took no heed, but jumped into the 
water and began to swim with a strong, steady breast 
stroke. Even in his haste he had the wisdom to choose 
this method of swimming, knowing that it left his body 
less exposed than if he were swimming with a side 
stroke. He suspected, and suspected rightly, that the 


A FLIGHT BY NIGHT 


53 


men on the bank would recognize him and appreciate 
the reason for his swim, and would not be slow to stop 
him if they could. 

He was right. There came a crack from behind him, 
and something splashed the water beside his face. 
There was another crack, and the water splashed into 
his eyes. That time the mark had been overshot. 
Again there was a crack, and a third bullet went sing- 
ing past his ears, and, plowing into the stream an inch 
or so before his face, sent up a shower of water that 
half-blinded him. 

Strong even then turned his head and lai ghed as he 
swam on. No more shots came, and he reckoned him- 
self safe. 

He climbed like an otter up the further bank, and 
went bursting into the bungalow and out into the space 
behind it. As he had guessed it would be, the shed 
was enveloped in flame. 

Langley, with a white face, was standing beside the 
water-butt, swiftly baling out pail after pail of water 
and dashing it frenziedly into the fire before him. 

Strong, without a word, wrenched the bucket from 
his hand. ‘‘ That’s no good, my boy,” he shouted. 
‘‘ Not the least good in the world. Let her bum — 
there’s nothing in it now that matters. I suppose the 
‘ Di ’ is all right? ” 

‘‘ Under the willows,” said Langley. 

Then get back to her, you cuckoo, and sit tight, 
and, mark you, if men come trespassing at night in this 
country with intent to do your property any harm, 
they can’t complain if they get hurt. You understand 
what I mean ? ” 

He smacked a hand on to Langley’s hip and felt the 
outline of the six-shooter which still was there. 

Langley nodded, and without more ado began to run 
along the bank towards the willows. 

The heat from the burning shed was so fierce that 


54 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Strong felt the scorch of it even where he stood, against 
the wall of the bungalow; but in spite of the heat he 
began to throw pail after pail of water against the 
sides and over the roof of the bungalow to prevent the 
little building catching fire. 

He worked like a demon for five minutes, and then 
noted that the glare and the heat were less intense. 
The shed was burning out. 

He took one last look at the remains of the shed, 
which was now only a fitfully smoldering jumble of 
wood, and set oiF to join Langley beneath the willows. 
When he reached the “ Di ” he was in an entirely reck- 
less mood. 

It makes me cross,” he said to Langley, ‘‘ to think 
that I must waste another half-hour or so, but although 
I propose to run risks, I do not propose to be so fool- 
hardy as to go abroad again till Mr. Jones is safely 
within doors; and I fancy that this last affair will 
satisfy him to-night. He thinks that I am beyond 
mischief now, and with that over-weening confidence of 
his he will call his fellows off. Jones is not the man 
io let other people’s worries keep him from his bed, 
however many sleepless nights he may have spent in 
seeking his own ends.” 

After twenty minutes or so of somewhat gloomy 
waiting Strong began to smile again. 

“ Pull out mid-stream,” he said. “ Can you ‘ jump ’ 
her from the water That is a thing we haven’t tried 
yet, and I forget how much you say the ‘ Di ’ can do 
and how much she can’t.” 

“ She’ll rise all right,” said Langley ; and so they 
put off. 

From mid-stream they jumped ” the airship about 
fifty feet or so, and through the air Strong steered the 
“ Di ” above the same ground which he had traversed 
on foot some hours before. 

To Langley’s amazement. Strong cast all discretion 


A FLIGHT BY NIGHT 


55 


to the winds, circled round the stables slowly, and so 
close to the roofs that he could just touch the edges of 
the buildings. He turned the corner sharply and put 
the “ Di,” her propellers purring softly, along the bal- 
cony. 

To Strong’s astonishment Diana was still there, 
closely wrapped, and huddled against the balustrade. 

She peered out at him between the creepers, and when 
she beheld the airship she drew back with a sharp cry. 
Immediately she leaned forward again and peered at 
Strong with a white, strained face. 

Then Strong sent the ‘‘ Di ” flying upwards into the 
night. 


CHAPTER V 


STRONG MAPS OUT HIS CAMPAIGN AGAINST THB WORU) 

Out of sheer joy of freedom Strong put the ‘‘ Di ” up 
to five thousand feet, and there let her hover. 

Langley peered at him glumly in the darkness. 

Where are we off to ? ” he asked. 

“ Oxford,” said Strong, shortly. ‘‘ We’ll hand over 
the ‘ Di ’ to old Bill. He’s as safe as houses and will 
say nothing. Then we will pick up Arbuthnot.” 

Old Bill was a boatman and Arbuthnot an under- 
graduate. 

It was growing light when Strong ordered Langley 
to drop the ‘‘ Di ” into the Isis, a couple of miles from 
Oxford. A countryman on his way to work saw her 
drop. He was frightened and told a policeman going 
home to bed ; and the policeman told his sergeant. The 
sergeant telephoned the news to his chief at Oxford. 
The chief, when he remembered the information in the 
morning, mentioned it casually to a reporter on a local 
newspaper ; and the reporter promptly wired it up to 
town. 

Strong, having left the Di ” in charge of old Bill, 
took up his quarters at the Mitre with Langley. Ar- 
buthnot and John James Vannistart Verulam Belling- 
ham, fourth Earl of Bellingham, and contemporary of 
Strong’s at the ’Varsity, happened to be in Oxford at 
the time, so they joined the luncheon party. 

Arbuthnot, a very large young man with enormous 
muscles and a fair amount of brain, and Bellingham, 
who affected an eye-glass and who was invariably tired, 


MAPS OUT HIS CAMPAIGN 


67 


listened with incredulous interest to Strong’s story of 
the “ Di ” and the Princess Diana. 

Throughout the recital Langley sat twitching with 
anxiety on his chair. Once or twice he tried to cut 
short the strenuous stream of Strong’s narrative; but 
Strong bade him be silent. 

“ Here endeth the first lesson,” chanted Arbuthnot, 
solemnly, when Strong had finished his story. 

“ The first lesson if you like,” Strong rapped back, 
“ but the second lesson is beginning and, believe me, 
it will be a deal more exciting than the first. Gad ! ” 
he cried, ‘‘ if those reporter chaps downstairs only knew 
that I was the man who had brought them all helter- 
skelter from London, wouldn’t they be pleased! And 
why not tell them.?* ” he added. “Why not.?^ By 
Jove ! I will.” 

He made for the door, and Langley hung on to his 
coat sleeve. 

“ For Heaven’s sake, man, think what you are do- 
ing,” he protested. “ I don’t want those fellows on my 
track if you do.” 

But Strong only shook him off and marched down- 
stairs. In the hall were twenty or thirty men, whom 
Strong intuitively took for journalists. He surveyed 
them quickly and was not pleased with them. In the 
group Strong’s quick eye fell on a girl. She was a tall 
girl and dark, with black hair and level brows above a 
pair of pale blue eyes full of light and intelligence. 
Her nose was of the snub order, her chin strong, and 
her mouth humorous. She was the kind of girl that 
Strong immediately set down as being a “ good fellow.” 
He looked at her again and decided, moreover, that she 
could be trusted. 

This was exactly the case. Miss Dora Hunt was at 
once the envy and the admiration of Fleet Street. She 
did a man’s work in a woman’s way, which is in reality 
to accomplish far more than a man ever does. She had 


58 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


the record of what is technically known as never 
falling down on a story.” In plain language, she in- 
variably accomplished what she was set to do. 

Strong beckoned to her and she came forward. 

Are you a journalist.'^ ” he asked. 

“ I am,” said Miss Hunt, crisply. 

What do you represent ? ” 

“ The Daily Wireless"' 

The men were crowding forward, but Strong waved 
them back. 

It is useless your being eager, gentlemen,” he said, 
‘‘ I have nothing to say to you. I am the man who 
brought the airship to Oxford and I am going to tell 
this lady why I did it. I am going to teU my story to 
her and to no one else.” 

The men protested. They argued that the matter 
was a public one and that they were as much entitled 
to the news as was Miss Hunt. 

Strong laughed at them and drew Miss Hunt away. 
In the room in which he had been lunching with Lang- 
ley, Bellingham and Arbuthnot, he introduced the girl 
to his friends. Then, without a word of apology, he 
told his story all over again. Miss Hunt listened as 
Bellingham and Arbuthnot had listened, with incredu- 
lous interest. 

Strong told Miss Hunt of the shooting of the man 
in the launch, of the fire at the bungalow, and of his 
farewell to the princess. 

‘‘ And that,” he continued, “ is not the end of it, but 
only the beginning.” 

“ Now,” he went on, “ I have other things to say — 
things. Miss Hunt, that I have not yet told to Lord 
Bellingham and Mr. Arbuthnot. Perhaps,” he added, 

they will be kind enough to give me their attention.” 

Strong, with a quick eye, had noted that Belling- 
ham’s eye-glass was bent with more than necessary 
interest upon the pleasant countenance of Miss Hunt. 


MAPS OUT HIS CAMPAIGN 


59 


“ Langley,” here Strong clapped a huge hand with a 
sounding thwack on Langley’s shoulder, “ is not merely 
• the inventor of an airship, but of a wireless instrument 
which is far in advance of any that has yet been 
made.” 

“ Don’t — ” cried Langley, starting forward ; but 
Strong only thrust him on one side and picked up from 
the floor a little box about a foot long and nine inches 
deep and broad. It had the appearance of an ordinary 
hand-camera. At one end was a small ivory button, 
while let into the top was a little circular disc of glass. 
Strong began to tap quickly on the button and tiny 
sparks began to flash from the disc in the lid. Belling- 
ham, Arbuthnot and Miss Hunt leaned forward eagerly. 

“ You see,” said Strong, easily, “ the aflPair is ex- 
ceedingly simple. I tap dots and dashes on this button 
and the dots and dashes can be reproduced by flashes 
in the disc of a similar instrument a thousand miles 
away. 

“ So much for that,” he continued, and he set the 
little box on one side. ‘‘Now we come to explosives. 
Mr. Langley has invented and patented an explosive of 
a very terrible order. It is in liquid form and can be 
poured into shells the size of a golf ball. One of these 
dropped from a height will destroy any building on 
which it falls.” 

Langley writhed on his chair, biting his nails. 

“ Now the joke of it all is,” Strong went on, “ that 
the dear, simple inventor of all these things cannot 
see that the three appliances — the airship, the wireless 
instrument and the shells — can all be applied to one 
purpose. And that purpose is mine — to steal the 
earth ! ” 

Miss Hunt gave a little gasp, and Bellingham 
laughed lazily. 

“Oh, yes!” cried Strong, “you can laugh if you 
please, but I am afraid, my dear Bellingham, that you 


60 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


are booked for the same enterprise as myself. Don’t 
you see, Miss Hunt, what I am driving at? ” 

“ I am beginning to,” said Miss Hunt. 

“ Of course you are,” answered Strong. I have 
taken you into my confidence and I am trusting you 
completely. Any word of this would destroy the whole 
of my plans. I am going to build an airship that will 
carry a score of men, and fill her as full as she will hold 
with the steel shells which will enable me to lay waste 
any c^ty in the world I please. But there is only one 
city 1 am aiming at as yet, and that is Bomberg, the 
capital of Balkania ! And I will have that city if I lay 
it in ashes before I take it ! ” he cried. “ I will be King 
of Balkania first and dictator of the world afterwards ! 
In spite of all the governments on earth I will marry 
the Princess Diana ! ” As he shouted these words, 
Strong’s eyes burned with a steady blue fire. 

Neither Bellingham, Arbuthnot nor Miss Hunt spoke. 
The silence in the hotel sitting-room became tense and 
painful. 

It was broken by Strong, who began to laugh gayly, 
and Miss Hunt was amazed to see how, on an instant, 
his expression had become boyish and irresponsible. 
A strange man, she thought to herself, and in her heart 
she feared him. 

Now I dare say, Miss Hunt,” Strong said pleas- 
antly, ‘‘ you wonder why I called you up here to tell 
you this ; I assure you that my purpose was a business 
one. I want to see your editor and arrange with him 
to organize a publicity department for myself. 

‘‘ Of course,” he went on, seeing a troubled look on 
Miss Hunt’s face, you don’t believe me, and I don’t 
blame you for that. But seeing is believing, and you 
shall see to-night. You shall come for a spin in the 
‘ DL’ ” 

Strong made good his word, and at two o’clock in 
the morning, after the most amazing experience of 


MAPS OUT HIS CAMPAIGN 


61 


her life. Miss Dora Hunt left for London by motor cts, 
A few hours later she wired to Strong, giving him an 
appointment with Mr. Sharp, editor of the Daily Wire- 
less^ at three o’clock that afternoon. 

The Daily Wireless rejoiced in its name for the simple 
reason that it was the only paper in London which had 
availed itself of a complete service of wireless telegrams 
for the gathering of news. This was a fact that 
counted in Strong’s favor. He would be able to interest 
Mr. Sharp in at least one of Langley’s inventions. 

When he entered Mr. Sharp’s room at the Daily 
Wireless Strong was somewhat surprised to see that 
the editor was a youngish-looking man, possessed 
apparently of all the buoyancy of youth. Mr. Sharp 
had a pair of quick, shrewd eyes, and a ready smile. 
But then it is the privilege of those who look upon 
the doings of the world from behind the scenes to smile. 

“ This is a very wonderful story of yours, Mr. 
Strong,” he began as he shook hands. So wonderful, 
indeed, that but for the faith I have in Miss Hunt I 
should certainly doubt its veracity.” 

‘‘ I take it,” said Strong, plunging at once into 
business, “ that Miss Hunt has told you everything 
from beginning to end, so far as the end has been 
reached.” 

Miss Hunt, who was present, nodded her head primly. 

I have been very careful,” she said. 

“ That being the case,” said Strong to Mr. Sharp, 

I will proceed to my proposals, and mind you, Mr. 
Sharp, this boast of mine that I intend to steal the earth 
is no idle one. Consider the resources at my command. 
With an airship such as I shall soon possess, packed 
with shells of enormous power, and a publicity depart- 
ment worked by wireless, I don’t see how anything can 
stop me.” 

“ Only one thing,” said Mr. Sharp, his eyes alight 
with amusement and suspicion, ‘‘ and that is a base. 


6a 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


You can hardly operate against the world from 
England.” 

“ I don’t propose to try,” said Strong, shortly. 
‘‘ As a matter of fact I was coming to that when you 
interrupted me. As you may possibly know, my 
father, Sir John Strong, is an indefatigable moun- 
taineer. Last year he was tramping in the Carpathians 
and did his best to penetrate the secret of the Ring of 
Nissa. The Ring of Nissa, as you may also know, 
consists of a v-ast circle of glaciers. From the outer 
edge of them the ascent is easy in two or three places, 
but on the further side they fall so sheer that it is 
impossible to make any descent. Within this outer 
ring of glaciers there is an inner ring of glaciers, and 
that inner ring no man has ever pierced. 

“ The legend goes that within this second ring of 
glaciers there is a pleasant valley. Whether the legend 
has any justification no man can say; but my father, 
who is considered to be somewhat of an authority on 
geographical matters, sees no reason why the story 
should not be true. 

“ As soon as my large airship is ready I shall make 
straight for the inner ring of Nissa, and if the legend is 
based on fact I shall make my headquarters there, 
encircled by those impenetrable hills. There I shall 
be at liberty to repair and refit, and no man will be able 
to touch me.” 

Strong’s voice was so full of conviction and sincerity 
that even the suspicious Mr. Sharp found the wild 
scheme plausible. “ Go on,” he said with a smile, “ go 
on. It is all mighty interesting, but really I don’t 
quite see your point in coming to me.” 

“ My point in coming to you,” replied Strong, “ is 
that I require assistance, in return for which I am pre- 
pared to give you what I believe you call ‘ scoops.’ ” 

Mr. Shai'p wrinkled his eyebrows. 

“ For instance,” Strong continued, “ I want you 


MAPS OUT HIS CAMPAIGN 


first of aU to detach MIS's Hunt from her regular work 
in order that she may study the subject with which 
I hope she will have a great deal to do later on. When 
I actually start on my campaign it will be necessary 
for me, if I am bottled up in the Ring of Nissa, to know 
what the world is doing and thinking. I shall rely on 
Miss Hunt for that information, and I think if she were 
to make her headquarters in Vienna she would, by 
means of the wireless instrument with which I will 
supply her, be able to keep me weU posted with news 
of events. 

“ That is the assistance I ask. On the other hand, 
I will undertake to give to Miss Hunt, by wireless, full 
details of all my intentions. For example, if I propose 
to hold up Monte Carlo, or to bombard Paris, I will 
give you due notice of what is coming ; and I fancy that 
with news of that sort at your disposal the circulation 
of the Daily Wireless should go up by leaps and bounds.” 

It would, indeed,” said Mr. Sharp with an ironical 
smile. 

“ Of course,” said Strong, ‘‘ I know that you place 
no faith in my boasts. Frankly, I may say that I 
don’t care in the least whether you do or do not, but 
at any rate to-night I am going to give you some good 
‘ copy.’ Every journalist in London is looking for 
me, but I propose to give my story to you. I want 
Miss Hunt to write exactly what I have told her. I 
want her to publish my plans and to say that I propose 
to start my campaign against the world three months 
from to-day. 

‘‘ You, of course, need accept no responsibility for 
my statements. Indeed, if you choose you can de- 
nounce me for a visionary or a madman, and if you 
require it I will give you my permission to do so in 
writing. 

“ On the other hand,” Strong went on, “ I want 
Miss Hunt to do me a service. I understand that Mr. 


64 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Jones, or perhaps as we had better call him, the King of 
Balkania, has taken fright and carried off the Princess 
Diana to Romberg. 

“ Now, as I am counting on the Princess as an ally, 
I want to convey to her one of Mr. Langley’s wireless 
instruments. To dispatch a man on such an errand 
w'ould be to create suspicion at once, but Miss Hunt can 
go to the Princess as a journalist seeking an interview. 
Whether the interview is obtained or not I don’t care 
so long as the instrument reaches its destination in 
safety. Will you do this for me in return for the 
interview I am giving you to-night ” 

Mr. Sharp raised his eyebrows and glanced at Miss 
Hunt. 

“ I should like to go,” she said quietly, and so that 
matter was settled. 

‘‘ Now,” said the editor, ‘‘ we come to an extremely 
awkward point, and I am presuming, of course, that 
you will make good your boasts about the airship. I 
want you to understand clearly, Mr. Strong, that while 
I am prepared to make great sacrifices to obtain ex- 
clusive news, I will not make any concessions to you 
which will in any way jeopardize this country. Putting 
all cant on one side, I want you to understand that this 
newspaper is the servant of the British Empire, and 
that no temptation will induce us to place this country 
or any portion of her possessions in peril. You see,” 
he added, with a smile, ‘‘ I am already taking it for 
granted that you will fulfill all your remarkable 
threats.” 

Strong laughed. “ Your sentiments,” he said, “ are 
very much in accord with my own. No doubt you 
personally would, if you possessed my airship, give 
the benefit of it to your own country, but you do not 
happen to be under the necessity of winning the Princess 
Diana of Balkania. And therefore your case is not 
entirely on all-fours with mine. 


MAPS OUT HIS CAMPAIGN 


65 


However, I will at once set your mind at rest by 
assuring you of the fact that this country and all her 
possessions will be entirely ruled out of my arrange- 
ments, and Europe will be much too busy looking after 
me to think of attacking Great Britain while I am steal- 
ing the world. 

“ Of course, if this country should be roped into 
an alliance against me, the matter would be serious. 
It would, however, not affect the issue in the least. 
My own people could do nothing against me, and even 
though they tried, I should not think of harming them. 
You have my word on that point.” 

The editor took up a paper-knife and balanced it on 
his forefinger. He looked at Strong steadily. 

‘‘ I have your personal assurance,” said he to Strong, 

but what is my guarantee.? ” 

“ Your guarantee should consist in the fact that my 
personal safety will, to a large extent, lie in your hands. 
Without the information for which I should in return 
give you my news, my movements would be sadly 
hampered. You will therefore see that while you are 
relying much on me I am also relying much on you.” 

“ Very well,” said the editor, “ we will let it go at 
that.” 

“ Of course,” said Strong, with quiet confidence, “ I 
am perfectly aware that as soon as I begin to make 
myself felt the whole world will rise in arms against 
me.” He smiled a placid and confidential little smile, 
and Mr. Sharp looked at him with growing astonish- 
ment. 

‘‘ When the world wakes up to find that I am really 
a menace, and that I can do whatsoever I will, then they 
will take joint action against me. 

Then,” continued Strong, “ we shall come to 
Armageddon. Not that I desire it — indeed, I will do 
all in my power to avert it. You are, of course, a man 
of the world and, I should judge, fairly easy-going and 


66 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


fairly cynical. You only see me in my worst aspect. 
It makes me ashamed to teU you that I possess a heart, 
and that I possess a brain that is filled with no unkind 
thoughts towards my brother men.” 

Mr. Sharp looked at Strong thoughtfully, almost 
seriously. 

“ I tell you, Mr. Sharp,” Strong continued, “ that I 
have, tucked away in my brain, ideas for the betterment 
of this world which few men have dreamed of yet. And 
I mean to put them into execution, even if I have to lay 
waste a small portion of the earth to do so. Meantime 
print the interview. I’ll be back at eleven o’clock to 
look at a proof ; and I am always punctual. Till then, 
good-by.” 

That night the great presses of the Daily Wireless 
whirred and roared till long past the small hours. 
The interview which Strong had sanctioned was a 
revelation even to Mr. Sharp, and he saw that in the 
morning there would be a woeful shortage of copies of 
the Daily Wireless if excessive precautions were not 
taken. 

‘‘ If this sort of thing goes on,” he said to himself, 
as at two o’clock he left the office with the roar of the 
machinery in his ears, ‘‘ we shall have to lay down a new 
plant.” 

He looked up and down Fleet Street. ‘‘ If, indeed,” 
he added to himself, ‘‘ Mr. Strong fulfills his prophecy, 
it seems to me that a great many of our rivals in this 
district will have to close their doors. Well, good luck, 
Mr. Strong, even if it brings Armageddon.” 

The effect on London by the publication of the inter- 
view with Strong can only be described as staggering. 
Up till noon the great machines of the Daily Wireless 
were stiU whirring and roaring, and cart after cart left 
Shoe Lane, their axles groaning with the weight of the 
papers that they carried. 

For once such topics as the weather were forgotten. 


MAPS OUT HIS CAMPAIGN 


6T 


The one thing on everybody’s lips was the extraordi- 
nary interview in the Daily Wireless, This extraordi- 
nary story was repeated and flashed across every con- 
tinent, and beneath every sea, and the whole world was 
puzzled. There was a certain quality of sincerity, 
and a certain overwhelming quality of confidence about 
Strong’s statements that held people from laughter. 
The letter giving the editor permission to brand him 
as a lunatic only served to puzzle people more. One 
half of the people declared Strong to be mad. The 
other, that there might have risen a man who was quite 
capable of changing the face of the earth. 

The journalists of Great Britain, Europe and Amer- 
ica raged up and down looking for Strong, but Strong, 
calling himself “ Mr. Smith,” hid away in a small hotel 
in Bond Street. He was a nine days’ wonder, and then 
for a time he was forgotten. 

But though the public ceased to taken an interest 
in him, Mr. Smith of Bond Street was exceedingly busy. 
Miss Hunt successfully achieved her mission to Bomberg, 
and thereafter she frequently attended at the little 
conferences which Strong held with Langley, Arbuthnot 
and Bellingham. 

It was not hard to persuade the authorities at the 
Crystal Palace to allow Langley’s airship to be con- 
structed there, and the secret of the vast shed which 
covered Strong’s activities was well kept. With the 
assistance of Miss Hunt it was given out that the 
great edifice merely sheltered a new form of amusement 
for the public, which was as yet only in an experimental 
stage. 

Time passed quickly, and towards the end of August 
the “ Victor,” for so Strong christened the new airship, 
was nearing completion. 

To Langley, as he fitted the parts of the Victor ” 
together, the days passed like a dream. She was 
modeled on the same lines as the Hi,” only, of course. 


€8 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


on a much larger scale. She was 200 feet in length and 
her beam was 30 feet at the widest part. She tapered 
in the same cigar-like way as the “ Di.” All the space 
required to navigate her and make use of her as a fight- 
ing machine was centered in the well, which took the 
place of tlie conning-tower in a battleship. 

Like the “ Di ” the “ Victor ” was built of aluminium, 
her hull being immeasurably strong, because it was 
held together by a network of triangular wires; and 
triangles, as the merest schoolboy knows, are the hardest 
things to break. 

On either side of the well were a series of pigeon- 
holes, in each of which was stored a small round shell 
about the size of a man’s closed fist, filled with a high 
explosive which was Langley’s secret. 

The process of fighting for which the Victor ” had 
been designed was intensely simple. It was one of those 
simple things which occasionally “ stagger humanity.” 

The main fighting power of the ‘‘ Victor ” lay in her 
capacity for navigating through the air. The mode of 
attack consisted merely of taking one of the small shells 
and dropping it overboard. And Langley estimated 
that the velocity given by the drop, plus the power of 
the explosive contained in the shells, would be sufficient 
for one of these pilule-like weapons of offense to spread 
disaster far and wide wherever one might fall. 

Forward in the hull of the airship space was devoted 
to stores. Aft was a cabin just sufficiently large to hold 
bunks for five men, two on either side and one across the 
decks. 

On August 28th Langley saw to the fitting of the 
engines. Then he wired to Arbuthnot to bring the other 
men who had been chosen to participate in the colossal 
theft which Strong was planning. 

They arrived at Langley’s lodgings two nights before 
the day set aside for the ascent. 


MAPS OUT HIS CAMPAIGN 


69 


One of them was by name Wildney, a fellow-under- 
graduate of Arbuthnot’s. A short, stocky man be was, 
with dark hair and a strong jaw tinged blue by a strong 
growth of beard. 

The other was Pelham, who, like Wildney, was a 
fellow-undergraduate of Arbuthnot’s. He was a tall, 
sparely-built young man, with shrewd blue eyes and 
fresh-complexioned face invariably wreathed in smiles. 
Of the air he, of course, knew nothing, but he was a good 
sailorman and Arbuthnot had chosen him because of his 
extraordinary daring on the water. 

Strong had now decided that in case the legend of 
the Ring of Nissa should not be true it would be neces- 
sary to provide an absolutely trustworthy base. This 
he found in the shape of Bellingham’s steam-yacht, the 
Aphrodite, and Bellingham sailed from Cowes to lie off 
Lagos Bay until such time as Strong informed him by 
wireless that he had need of him. 

With Bellingham went Churston, a young engineer 
into whose charge was given a mass of appliances, which 
Langley judged might be necessary for repairing pur- 
poses if the “ Victor ” met with any disaster. 

Bellingham, for his part, went with a bad grace, for 
though Strong’s enthusiasm had now a great hold on 
him, the volatile and impressionable earl had conceived 
an almost comical attachment for the prim and deter- 
mined Miss Hunt. 

Three days before the date fixed for the ascent of 
the Victor,” the Daihy Wireless appeared with a 
column which was repeated by cable to every part of 
the globe. It reiterated Strong’s apparently wild 
threats, and gave in outline details of his daring scheme. 
It was, of course, laughed at. Yet while men laughed 
they were puzzled. Would or would not Strong’s air- 
ship achieve all that he claimed for it.^ 

That was the only point they considered. That a 


70 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 

man could be so foolish as to boast he could steal the 
earth was a matter which they either disregarded or 
scoffed at. 

Search was made high and low for Strong, but “ Mr. 
Smith,” the quiet guest at the quiet hotel in Bond 
Street, hid himself by day, and by night paid surrepti- 
tious visits to Langley, while London went half crazy 
with thwarted curiosity. 

On the night before the ascent all the men gathered 
in Langley’s rooms at Sydenham. 

“ For obvious reasons there cannot be any trial of 
the ‘ Victor,’ ” Strong explained. When we make the 
ascent to-morrow the ascent is made for good or evil. 
Did we descend in civilized parts an inspection of the 
* Victor ’ would follow, which would only prove conclu- 
sively that our motives in ascending at all were not of 
the most peaceful. 

“ To-morrow afternoon, therefore, we shall, in the 
words of an old popular song, ‘ sail away.’ We shall 
sail away on a mission which I presume most people 
would regard as criminal. But if you magnify crime 
sufficiently it becomes heroic. Our crime, or perhaps 
I should say my crime, is so stupendous that it can only 
be regarded as heroic in the last degree. 

“ Alexander the Great — I allude to the soldier, and 
not to the estimable tailor — dreamed great dreams and 
achieved much. But, though I say it myself, I imagine 
that no man ever before contemplated undertaking the 
task of stealing the whole earth. 

“ I drink to the success of my theft.” 

On a sudden Strong dropped his flippant manner. 

“ All of us,” he said, looking round the table at the 
men who were gazing at him, their lips parted in 
laughter, “ are in reality pioneers — pioneers of a new 
era of peace.” 

At this they might have laughed, but for the intense 
earnestness of Strong’s face. All suspicion of mirth or 


MAPS OUT HIS CAMPAIGN 


71 


cynicism had vanished from it. He gazed straight 
before him with the clear eyes of a man who sees a sure 
and certain vision. 

“We,” he continued — ^‘Hhough our beginning may 
be sullied by blood — are in reality the makers of his- 
tory. I am going to see to it that all of you help me in 
my desire for a better and kinder reign on earth. We 
may be forced to perpetrate a few injustices, but justice 
towards the human race is in reality the end I have in 
view. 

“ Don’t laugh at me,” he concluded lamely and very 
boyishly, “ if you think I am setting myself up for a 
great man, but I mean none the less to leave my little 
mark on this world, and that mark will be for good.” 

After dinner Strong turned his steps in the direction 
of the Crystal Palace, and was, on revealing his identity 
to the manager, allowed to pass into the grounds. As 
he strolled up through the glass-covered vinery he met 
the last of the night’s visitors straggling out. 

When he had climbed up the hill he turned and made 
for the shed. There was only one entrance to this, and 
seeing the necessity of preserving the secret of the 
“ Victor ” up to the last moment, Arbuthnot was there 
on guard. It had been arranged that Strong himself 
should take up sentry-go at nine. 

Strong walked down to the end of the shed and 
turned on an electric switch. 

As he stood leaning against the pillar Strong noted 
carefully every detail of the “ Victor,” and even in the 
gloom she was beautiful to behold, her long shining 
hull standing out boldly. The aluminium lifting pro- 
pellers on their tall slim shafts looked almost aggressive 
in the half light. 

As he looked upwards Strong became conscious of a 
flickering shadow on the roof of the shed. It was a long, 
black, sharp-edged shadow in the shape of a scythe. It 
drew back and advanced, advanced and drew back. 


72 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Strong wondered what the object which cast that 
curiously-shaped shadow might be. 

The shadow advanced and became more elongated 
than before. And Strong could scarcely keep himself 
from starting as he observed that at one end of the 
strange shadow there came into prominence against 
the light on the roof a clasped human hand. 

For a moment Strong stood rigid against the pillar.- 
He saw the shadow turn sharply back, and then he 
judged it the moment to leap. He leaped aside quickly, 
and a second later heard the rasp of steel on the iron 
pillar. A body shot forward, blundered, and, evidently 
impelled by some great force, crashed against the pillar, 
and then fell to the earth. 

In a flash Strong had dropped on his knees upon the 
fallen figure. But there was no need for force or any 
struggle. The figure, in falling, had struck its head 
against the iron support of the shed, and the man 
beneath Strong’s knees lay still. 

Looking about him, Strong saw lying a few feet away 
a long, curved, sharp-pointed knife. Oh, ho ! ” he 
said to himself. Then he took his knees from the pros- 
trate man beneath him and rolled him over. He peered 
down into the man’s face, and drew back with a start. 
It was Ludwig. He surveyed the gaping jaws and tlie 
staring open eyes with disgust. 

He slipped his hand into Ludwig’s clothing against 
the prostrate man’s heart. 

“ Only knocked out for a bit,” said Strong, and then 
he rose up and strode over to the door. “ Arbuthnot ! ” 
he called. 

Arbuthnot came in, and, glancing at Strong’s face, 
saw that there was something amiss. 

“ What is it ? ” he asked. 

“ Just about as dirty a piece of work,” said Strong, 

as you could possibly conceive.” 

He walked over and picked up the knife. 


MAPS OUT HIS CAMPAIGN 


73 


“ It is only by the mercy of Heaven that I have not 
got this between my shoulder blades now.” He strode 
over to the senseless man and stirred his body slightly 
with his foot. “ And the author of the attempted 
murder, I may inform you, is His Royal Highness Prince 
Ludwig of Sylvania.” 

Arbuthnot whistled. 

“ The best thing,” said Strong, “ is to bring the beg- 
gar to ; to get him away without any fuss. Fetch me a 
bucket of water from the tap. I will see about that. 
Then get up to the palace and ’phone for a taxicab. 
This gentleman must be removed without any fuss. We 
have had quite as much advertising as we need — indeed, 
I think, rather more than we want — and an incident of 
this sort won’t improve matters to-morrow.” 

“ Yes,” said Arbuthnot, ‘‘ I agree with you, but 
there’s only one of the attendants here now, and I don’t 
like to leave you.” 

“ Pshaw,” said Strong, ‘‘ do you think I am afraid of 
this ? ” and he again stirred the insensible man with his 
foot. 

“ Not of that,” said Arbuthnot, ‘‘ but there may be 
others.” 

Strong laughed. He was faced with danger once 
again, and therefore regaining his spirits. 

“ Let ’em all come,” he cried. ‘‘ Hurry up, like a 
good chap.” 

Arbuthnot nodded and walked away. 

Strong soused Ludwig’s face with water, and soused 
his body too. He was in no mood to spare him any 
attention that he could lavish upon him. 

After a while Ludwig moved from his death-like 
sleep, shuddered, and opened his eyes. 

Strong looked into his face grimly. 

Ludwig shuddered again, and let his head, which he 
had lifted a little from the ground, fall back. 

Strong sat himself on a packing-case that lay handy 


74 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


and lit his pipe. To Ludwig he said no word at all. 
And Ludwig was hardly in a position to force conver- 
sation. 

Presently Arbuthnot came back, and with him came 
two of the palace attendants bearing a stretcher. 

“ Pop him on to it,” said Strong ; and the men, per- 
plexed but dumb, obeyed his instructions. 

Ludwig had never spoken a word, and did not speak 
now. They carried him up to the entrance of the 
palace and then laid him once again on the ground. 

The men stood too much in awe of Strong to say any- 
thing, and Arbuthnot had too much sense to make any 
comment. Strong stood by and smoked his pipe till 
the taxicab arrived. He then walked over to Ludwig 
and scrutinized him closely. At the end of his deliber- 
ate inspection of the prostrate man he saw that it was 
quite possible to move Ludwig. He bent down and 
grasped Ludwig’s shoulders in his great hands and 
lifted him to his feet by sheer force. When he had got 
him upright he shook him a little to rouse him the more. 
He looked down into Ludwig’s face, and Ludwig shrank 
from his gaze. 

‘‘ Allow me to inform Your Royal Highness,” he 
whispered in his ear, “ that a vehicle is awaiting you.” 
He then transferred his grasp of Ludwig’s shoulders 
to the Prince’s coat-collar, and practically lifted him 
into the cab. He kicked the door to after him. 

Then he leaned into the vehicle and gazed at Ludwig 
in a manner which the Prince never forgot — a manner, 
indeed, that made him a nervous man from that moment. 

‘‘ Murder is all very well,” said Strong, ‘‘ but stab- 
bing in the back is another thing — that is the act of a 
cur.” 

He said no other word, but turned to the chauffeur. 

Drive this person,” he ordered, “ to the Sylvanian 
Legation in Grosvenor Gardens.” 


CHAPTER VI 


STRONG STARTS TO STEAL THE EARTH 

The announcement that Strong’s mysterious airship 
was to attempt her flight at three o’clock had for a week 
been bruited everywhere. Flaming placards announced 
the fact at every street corner. Black type flaunted it 
in the newspapers. The news was on everybody’s lips. 

By noon the slopes of the palace grounds were alive 
and black with people. Taking every precaution, the 
authorities at the palace had mustered an extraordinary 
force of police, and these held, two deep, the ropes which 
enclosed the great green open space in front of the shed. 
On the east and west, on the north and the south, grand 
stands had been built. 

At one o’clock these were crowded to their utmost 
capacity. 

The terrace of the palace was thick with people. 
The windows of the restaurant were jammed with them. 
So far down as the old polo ground every square foot 
was occupied by men, women and children, who, after the 
manner of great crowds, swayed gently to and fro. 

About the ring the constables were hot, flurried and 
half exhausted. The pressure against them was im- 
mense. At half-past one it was necessary to telephone 
urgently for a reenforcement of police — not only a 
reenforcement, but large reenforcements. Never indeed 
in the memory of any man, never indeed in the record 
of English public events, could such a crowd be re- 
membered. The roads leading to the palace had been 
blocked with vehicles for hours; the railway officials 

75 


76 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


were in despair. Trains were jammed to bursting. 
People sat on the racks, on each other’s knees, and stood 
ten deep in the center of the compartments. 

Strong, standing bare-headed and debonnair on the 
lawn, turned to Miss Hunt, who was by his side. 

“ Do you know. Miss Hunt,” he said, “ this reminds 
me of that memorable scene in Alice m W onderland, 
where the Oyster went for a walk with the Walrus and 
the Carpenter. ‘ And thick and fast they came at last, 
and more, and more, and more.’ ” He glanced at his 
watch. “ If we wait for the appointed time,” he con- 
tinued, “ we shall be squeezed to death. Those con- 
stables cannot hold out much longer. I am sorry to 
break my arrangements with the management of the 
Crystal Palace, but I propose to consider the safety of 
the ‘ Victor ’ and our own precious lives first. It is a 
quarter past two, and if we are not off before the half- 
hour it will be too late. We will get the ship out now,” 

He turned about and gave his orders. 

As the shimmering hull of the “ Victor ” was run out 
into the sunlight a great roar burst from three hundred 
thousand throats. 

The crowd swayed backwards and forwards, and 
then swayed forward again. The great wave of 
humanity struck and shook the hollow square of con- 
stables. The policemen reeled and then braced them- 
selves, and with almost their last gasp forced the crowd 
back again. Yet still over the hill and up from the 
valley were streaming thousands upon thousands of 
late arrivals. 

Strong jumped into the ‘‘ Victor,” and, climbing to 
the after-deck, looked quickly all about him. 

“ It is a question of minutes,” he called to Arbuthnot 
— “ of seconds. Into the ship with you, Langley, into 
her quick! And you other fellows, climb in too. Now, 
Miss Hunt, come along.” He leaned over the side, and 
taking Miss Hunt by the arms literally lifted her from 


STARTS TO STEAL THE EARTH TT 


her feet into the “ Victor,” and set her gently down in 
the well. “ Arbuthnot, sit here. Pelham and Wildney, 
get forward.” Strong looked quickly over the airship 
and her passengers. Then he turned to Langley. 

“ All clear ? ” he asked. 

“ All clear,” said Langley. Langley, for his part, 
sat with the sweat running down his face, and his eyes 
blinking wildly behind his gold-rimmed glasses. His 
hands, pale and trembling, hovered over the keyboard 
waiting to release the ‘‘ Victor.” 

Strong slapped him on the hack. “ Pull yourself 
together, old man,” he said, “ or those big ears of yours 
will flop off.” 

Once more Strong looked at his watch and took one 
more rapid look about him. 

“ It’s impossible to hang out till three.” He 
pocketed his watch, and the time was twenty-five minutes 
past two. “ By Heavens ! ” he cried, “ we are in for 
it.” 

The line of constables ahead of them was broken. 
Half-a-dozen policemen were lying on the ground, and 
the crowd came surging over them. 

“ Up ! ” he shouted to Langley, ‘‘ up ! ” 

Langley’s hands flew to the levers. The great pro- 
pellers at the stem and at the prow of the “ Victor 
began to whirr softly, and she ran up the switchback- 
like slips. Overhead the propellers began to whizz, 
cutting the air with the noise of a thousand rapiers 
flourishing to the salute. 

‘‘ Up, up — for Heaven’s sake, up! ” shouted Strong. 

The crowd now had broken in, not only before them, 
but on either side of them. Screaming women and 
shouting men were hurled against the sides of the slips. 
The constables were but as broken reeds. 

Strong and the others felt the “ Victor ” quiver as 
the crowd surged round. With a shudder Miss Hunt 
heard the sickening scrunch of human bodies being 


78 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


squeezed to pulp against the slips. Then they went 
up, up, up, up swifter than any bird. 

Langley alone kept his eyes at the keyboard; the 
others hung over the sides of the airship. They saw the 
crowd crash together in the space which they had leaped 
from, and heard the cries of the wounded men and 
wounded women as they were crushed and ground 
against the sharp steel of the ‘‘ Victor’s ” cradle. 

Below them the roar of half a million voices sounded 
like the roar of breakers on Chesil Beach. With a 
rather grim look Strong took Miss Hunt gently by the 
shoulder and drew her back from the side of the ship. 

‘‘ Don’t look,” he whispered ; “ we shall have enough 
of this sort of thing before the end of the chapter. It 
is not very nice to see, but there will be worse.” Strong 
looked at her closely. He had never possessed much 
faith in women. Would this particular woman fail him 
now ? “ I am sorry,” he said gently, “ but these things, 

you know, must be.” 

Miss Hunt spread her hands wide apart. 

“ But is it right ? ” she asked. “ It seems to me that 
you are going to bring immense misery on great num- 
bers of people, and, so far as I know, with no definite 
object in view.” 

‘‘ So far as I can see at present,” said Strong, “ you 
are quite right. I am not quite sure what the definite 
object will be, except one thing — and that is the 
Princess Diana.” He paused, and then added, I 
think she will show me the way out. At any rate,” he 
went on, “ I am convinced that I am right. There is 
not an incident in the whole progress of the world which 
did not ultimately result in good where men saw their 
purpose and carried it through.” 

Miss Hunt looked at him with wide eyes. “ Yes,” 
she said, “ I think it is quite true.” 

“ Anyway,” said Strong, with one of those smiles 
which brought him allegiance wherever he went, “ do 


STARTS TO STEAL THE EARTH 79 


you think I am such an unutterable villain that I am not 
to be trusted if I start my campaign with the loss of a 
few lives ? ” 

Miss Hunt looked into his face and sighed. Yes,” 
she said, “ I think you are to be trusted.” 

Strong shook himself and took out his watch. It 
was half-past two. 

‘‘ What do you reckon,” he said to Langley, “ that 
you can get out of her.'^ ” 

“ Two hundred miles an hour,” murmured Langley. 
Which means that if we go as the crow flies we 
shall get to Lagos — when ? ” 

As the crow flies,” said Langley, speaking as one 
recites a formula, “ the distance is one thousand and 
forty miles — say five and a half hours.” 

“ Five and a half hours,” said Strong, more to him- 
self than to Langley, and he ticked off the time on his 
watch. “ That means that we shall pick up Lagos at 
7.30. An hour’s run due west will bring us to the 
Aphrodite, That is half-past eight.” 

Then he spoke aloud to Langley. ‘‘ My dear boy,” 
he said, “ that is much too early. If we pick up the 
Aphrodite at half-past eight we shall certainly be 
observed. I do not mind for myself, but we cannot 
possibly incriminate Bellingham. I suppose we shall 
have to indulge in the novel occupation of hanging about 
the clouds ? ” 

All this time Langley had kept the airship stationary 
dead above the Crystal Palace. The earth spread 
below them like a map, quivering with the shaking of the 
‘‘ Victor ” caused by her whirling propellers. 

Then Arbuthnot broke in. 

‘‘ Tell you what. Strong,” he cried, “ let’s pick up 
Paris on the way. It’s a bit off the route, but it seems 
to me that we have time to spare, and as those jokers 
down below see now that we have started, there is no 
reason why Paris should not see us too. Paris is the 


80 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


center of the earth so far as I am concerned, and who is 
to sa j what route we may take from there ? ” 

“ I am afraid,” said Strong, “ that we are not count- 
ing on the telegraph. If we are seen going southwest 
we shall be presumed to be en route for the southwest, 
and that will create suspicion. 

“ But I will tell you what we can do,” he added ; 
‘^we can take a run round Paris and then jump out of 
sight — at any rate, as far as human observation is 
concerned.” 

Langley looked up at Strong. “ Is that what you 
want.? ” he asked. 

‘‘ It will do,” said Strong, “ go ahead.” 

Once more Strong looked over the side. They were 
at an altitude of three thousand feet, and the world 
below them was dim and distant. None the less, the 
uproar at the Crystal Palace came up distinctly and 
rang unpleasantly in their ears. 

Southwest be it,” said Strong. 

The “ Victor’s ” bow and stern propellers began to 
whizz, and they plunged forward. 

Now this was entirely different traveling from bal- 
looning, where the wind never smites one, because the 
balloon must go with the wind. The wind was to the 
southwest, and they were cutting into it. The force 
of it brought tears into Miss Hunt’s eyes as she faced 
it squarely. The wind, indeed, was whistling past them 
like a hurricane. Strong cast an anxious eye at the 
steel supports which held the lifting propellers. 

‘‘ You had better slow down a bit,” he said, or we 
shall carry away, and then there will be an end of us and 
all our hopes.” He cast a glance over the side, and the 
waters of the English Channel lay beneath them smooth 
as any lake. ‘‘ Let’s go down,” he said, “ and have a 
look at things.” 

The ‘‘ Victor,” under Langley’s guidance, dropped 
almost like a stone. Gazing over the side. Miss Hunt 


STARTS TO STEAL THE EARTH St 


gave a startled cry. It seemed that in a moment or two 
the waters of the Channel would swallow them up. 
Then as Langley set the “ Victor ” steady there came 
that sinking sensation which one experiences when an 
express lift is stopped suddenly. 

The English Channel lay only five hundred feet or so 
beneath them, and the day being Saturday, the Downs 
were full of craft. Immediately below them the evening 
mail packet plowed her way through placid waters. 
They could hear the cries of those on board as they 
were observed. And then came to them a new sense — * 
a sense that in their present situation the world was of 
no account. The world to which Strong and his friends 
had before been held captive by the laws of gravitation 
became on the sudden a plaything. 

An expression of the general feeling came from 
Pelham. 

“ Good Heavens ! ” he cried, as he gazed downwards, 
‘‘ we can waltz all round the blessed old globe.” 

They were over dry land again now, skimming across 
the roads at the back of Dieppe. Another hour and 
they were over the outskirts of Paris. 

Then Strong had a sudden idea. 

“To-day,” he cried, “is the 1st of September; in 
four days’ time Romberg shall capitulate. When I 
am master of the world Paris shall be one of my head- 
quarters. The Arc de Triomphe shall bear the record 
of my victories. And I’ll chalk one of them up now, by 
George ! I’ll chalk it up now ! ” 

Langley, at the steering-wheel, looked at him as 
though he did not entirely comprehend. 

“ Arbuthnot,” said Strong, “ shall be our guide. 
Get the speed down to twenty miles and drop the 
‘ Victor ’ just above the housetops. Where,” added 
Strong to Arbuthnot, “ is the Bois de Boulogne ? ” 

Arbuthnot indicated the Hyde Park of Paris with his 
forefinger. 


8 ^ 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


“ Now, my friend,” said Strong to Langley, give 
me a trick at the wheel.” 

“ Have a care,” said Langley, “ for though she works 
like the ^ Di ’ she is a bit more sudden in action.” 

All right,” said Strong, “ sit close beside me and 
we’ll see what we can do.” 

Strong let the “ Victor ” down at an angle, making 
for the Bois de Boulogne. The Arc de Triomphe rose 
up at them. They could discern a great hubbub in 
the Champs Ely sees. Vehicles of every kind were drawn 
up sharply. The be-sworded policemen stayed their 
chatter ; children ceased in their play beneath the chest- 
nut trees. Every Parisian who observed the ‘‘ Victor ” 
stood stock still and stared upwards. 

Strong brought the Victor ” slowly up against the 
parapet of the Arc de Triomphe. As they drew along- 
side they observed only one man on the platform of the 
famous arch. Of him Strong took no account. He was 
certain of the effect his appearance would produce, and, 
handing over to Langley the management of the Vic- 
tor,” he stepped on to the ledge of the Arc de Triomphe. 

With a face white to the lips, and with staring eyes, 
the man on the roof of the arch fell back before him. 
He retreated to the top of the staircase and then fled. 

Strong drew a penknife from his pocket, and, opening 
it, began to scratch on the edge of the parapet, while 
Langley, Miss Hunt and the others gazed at him in 
wonder. With a smile across his face. Strong scratched 
vigorously and quickly the following inscription : — 

The Battle of Bomberg Won September 4, 1919, by 
the Man Who Stole the Earth.” 

With remarkable unconcern he was still chipping a 
full-stop after the boastful, and as yet unestablished, 
“ record ” when a rush of people came through the open- 


STARTS TO STEAL THE EARTH 


ing leading to the staircase. The mob that surged up 
was led by a couple of policemen with drawn swords. 

Strong jumped back and leaped into the “ Victor.” 

“ Up ! ” he cried to Langley, and up they went. 

“ Aw revoir! ” he cried, “ au revoir! ” 

A few seconds later the “ Victor ” was five hundred 
feet above the roof, and Strong, craning over, could 
see the policemen brandishing their swords far beneath 
him. 

Suddenly he became grave. 

‘‘ This,” he said, “ is enough foolishness for one day, 
though it may have served its purpose inasmuch as it 
fulfills my bit of brag. I shall have to exert myself to 
the utmost for the next few days. Now for Lagos.” 

Lagos, with its palm trees and its white-faced houses 
and narrow, tortuous streets, was reached by about 
seven o’clock. The evening sunshine lit up the white- 
walled town and set the waters in the famous bay 
dancing. 

“ Now,” said Strong, as we have picked up our 
bearings, let us get up higher.” 

The “ Victor ” went soaring skywards, and the air 
grew chill and dank, though the sun still shone with 
great brilliancy. Presently the sea became only a blue 
mist below them. 

‘‘ If we pick up the Aphrodite by half-past nine,” 
said Strong, ‘‘ that will be good enough, so go slow, 
Langley, my friend, and don’t overstep the mark.” 

Up to then there had been but little conversation. 
All were so oppressed by the novelty of their surround- 
ings that they had been unable to find their tongues. 
But now they regained their voices and were loud in 
their marvelings of the powers of the “ Victor.” They 
hung for a little while in space, while Strong stood hold- 
ing a quick debate with himself as to the precise course 
that he should now pursue. Presently he got out the 


84 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


wireless instrument and made a click on the buttons. 
He watched for a long time before there came an 
answering flash. 

“ Who’s there? ” said the sparks. 

‘‘ The ‘ Victor,’ ” was the answer. “ And the oper- 
ator is Strong.” 

“ Good,” was the reply. “ I am Bellingham and I 
congratulate you on your achievement. I am dying to 
hear what has happened. When are you people com- 
ing down? ” 

Strong made answer that Bellingham would have 
to content his soul in patience, explaining to him as 
briefly as possible that there was really no need to 
descend. The “ Victor,” he continued, was in excellent 
sailing order, and they had all they needed. He asked 
Bellingham to anchor off Lagos till he should hear from 
him again, either by wireless or by overland cable. 

Bellingham was evidently as yet not an expert on 
the wireless instrument, and his part of the conversa- 
tion was flashed very slowly. However, he was suffi- 
ciently master of the instrument to declare that his 
heart was broken and that he was tired of so much wait- 
ing and watching. 

In return. Strong implored him to hang on a little 
longer, and outlined his immediate plans. In conclu- 
sion he ticked this message : — 

“ I have every faith that we shall find a haven within 
the Ring of Nissa. If that be so, I shall simply rest 
there and then move straight to the attack on Bomberg. 
The sooner we have a permanent base where we can 
effect repairs the better.” 

“ All right,” answered Bellingham through space, 

but don’t be longer than you can help. If I keep my 
men dawdling about much longer there will be an open 
mutiny.” 


STARTS TO STEAL THE EARTH 85 


“ If you have trouble,” answered Strong, “ let me 
know, and I will come and deal with it.” He added: 

N,B, — This is a joke,” and then ‘‘Good-night, old 
chap.” 

“ Good-night, old chap,” came the answer, and the 
flashes ceased. 

It was now about eleven o’clock and immensely dark. 
They were wrapped in a cloud-bank, and the air was 
unbearably cold and damp. The. powerful lights with 
which the “ Victor ” was fitted scarcely penetrated the 
gloom, and even in the small space of the well of the 
“ Victor ” Strong had to search and call for Langley. 
When he found him he sat down by his side and took 
quiet counsel with him. 

“ How far do you reckon it is,” he asked, “ toNissa? ” 

“ As far as I can judge,” said Langley, “ it is 1700 
miles.” 

“ That, of course,” said Strong, “ is as the crow 
flies ? ” 

“ Naturally,” said Langley, “ when you take to air- 
ships you take to short cuts.” 

Strong made a quick mental calculation ; then he 
asked : “ Can she keep up to two hundred miles an hour 
throughout the night, seeing that the wind is now 
behind us ? ” 

“ Throughout the week,” said Langley. “ In fact, 
I am not at all sure that, from the way she w^ent this 
afternoon, I have not underestimated her speed. I 
believe two hundred and fifty would be nearer the mark 
for an average run with a fair breeze.” 

“ Good Heavens ! ” said Strong, “ that means that, 
starting now, we can be over Nissa by six or seven to- 
morrow morning ” 

“ True, O King,” said Langley. 

“ Then let’s get at it, I believe you worked the 
course out ? ” 

Langley brought the head of the hovering “ Victor ” 


86 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


round, and pointed to the needle of the compass, which 
swung on its axis amid a glare of electric light. 

“ That’s the course,” said he, “ and if you will give 
me the word I will let her rip.” 

“ Is that dead sure.^^ ” asked Strong. 

Can’t miss it,” said Langley. Keep on that 
course and you can’t miss it.” 

“ Who understands this tin kettle,” asked Strong, 
“ besides yourself and me ? ” 

Langley looked round doubtfully. 

“ Arbuthnot knows pretty well,” he said, ‘‘ but, of 
course, we don’t want to take too many risks at first.” 

“ Then let Arbuthnot take first trick,” said Strong. 

You can take middle watch, and I will come on at 
dawn — for, mind you, none of us have seen Nissa, and 
it may be a place that will take some picking up.” 

“ All right,” said Langley, ‘‘ if that is the case I will 
stow myself away at once. Frankly, I am dead tired.” 

At two o’clock Langley, who could wake at will as 
though he had hidden in his mechanism an unfailing 
alarm-clock, relieved Arbuthnot and took the wheel in 
charge. 

Arbuthnot, who had found the glare from the com- 
pass exceedingly trying to the eyes, and was, moreover, 
dog-tired, practically rolled from his seat at the side 
of the “ Victor ” and instantly fell asleep. 

Langley passed his hands lovingly about the ma- 
chinery to be sure that all was in good trim, and then 
setting the course dead straight, wedged his knee into 
one of the spokes of the steering-wheel and leaned back. 
From time to time he stooped forward to assure himself 
that the “ Victor ” lay true on her course, and then 
leaned back again. The rush of the air past his face, 
the faint glimpses of the moon, and the dank blanketing 
of clouds gave him a sensation like that of a dream. 

At 5.30, therefore, he called Strong, and Strong, 
fresh as though he had slept the clock round, emerged 


STARTS TO STEAL THE EARTH 87 

from his blankets and struggled up to his place at the 
wheel. 

“ Before you turn in, old man,” he said to Langley, 
‘‘ put her down a bit. I don’t mind in the least if any- 
body sees us, because I am now perfectly certain that no 
man can tduch us, and I want to have a look at the land. 
Have you got the maps? ” 

Langley let the “ Victor ” drop for a couple of thou- 
sand feet so that the earth showed up plainly beneath 
them in the morning sunlight. Then he fetched the 
maps and spread them out, made a few calculations, 
and decided that if the course he had followed were a 
true one they should soon be over Balaton Lake. 

He went forward and looked over the side and uttered 
a little cry. 

“ We are dead on it,” he said, “ dead on it. That 
water beneath us must be Balaton. Another hour and 
a half, or, at the worst, two hours, should bring us over 
the Carpathians. 

“ I have laid our track dead across Budapest from 
here, but to pass over that city, you must put her a 
couple of points north.” 

Strong mechanically put the wheel over. “ And 
then ? ” he asked. 

“ Then,” said Langley, keep her perfectly straight 
ahead. I’d like another nap, but when we come to the 
hills call me and I will play navigating officer once 
again.” 

“ All right,” said Strong. 

Langley turned in, and Strong took liis station at the 
wheel. Presently he put the “ Victor ” down a little 
closer to the earth, and, leaning sideways and craning 
over the side of the Victor,” he could see barren 
country streaming past beneath them. Soon there rose 
up ahead of him the spires and walls of a great city. 
Strong put the “ Victor ” down lower still. Soon they 
were rushing over the suburbs of Budapest. 


88 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Men going to work in the fields looked up, and, be- 
holding the course of the “ Victor,” fell on their knees. 

But Strong had little time to note these manifesta- 
tions of terror on the part of the men so far beneath him. 
He shaped the course of the “ Victor ” dead across 
Budapest. 

Again he dived, and the city rushed up at the airship. 
But almost before he had rid himself of the sensation 
that the airship and the roofs of the city must meet in a 
fearful impact, Budapest was streaming away from 
under them. His attention was too much given to the 
navigation of the “ Victor ” to note much, but he could 
see that even at that early hour men and women stood 
stock still in the half-empty streets of Hungary’s capital 
and stared upwards. 

Then Strong put the Victor ” up another thousand 
feet and left the city far beneath. It was now about 
half-past seven o’clock, and he set about rousing the 
other members of the party. After a little while Miss 
Hunt came out into the open and inquired where they 
were. 

“ Ask the navigating officer,” said Strong, indicating 
Langley. 

Langley took the jest seriously, and once more ap- 
plied himself to his maps and calculations. ‘‘ That 
river on the right,” he said, ‘‘ is the Theiss. Ahead of us 
is Tokay. Half an hour’s run beyond that will bring us 
over Unghvar. Then it is the hills, and when it comes 
to the hills I leave the business to Strong.” 

“ Where’s Sambor? ” said Strong. 

A good bit north from Unghvar,” said Langley. 

Well, steer for Unghvar, and then lay her course 
for Sambor. According to my father, I understand it is 
just a little to the south, and midway between the two, 
but we cannot miss it very well, for the ring of glaciers 
is what guide-books would call ‘ an outstanding feature 
of the landscape.’ ” 


STARTS TO STEAL THE EARTH 89 


By-and-by Strong went forward with a pair of glasses 
and began to spy out the land. After ten minutes or so 
of intent scrutiny of the smaller hills beneath them and 
the greater hills ahead of them, he gave a great cry. 

“ By George ! ” he shouted, pointing with one of his 
great forefingers, “ there she is. There’s Nissa ! ” 


CHAPTER VII 


STRONG DEALS THE WORLD A BLOW 

‘‘ Gentlemen,” said Strong, with the air of one accom- 
plishing a mock introduction, “ behold the Ring of 
Nissa.” 

Langley nodded to Strong from the wheel. 

I may be navigating officer,” he said, but I’m 
hanged if I am a pilot. This is your business, and if you 
want to steer into the Ring of Nissa you will have to 
take charge yourself.” 

Strong walked aft and assumed control of the “ Vic- 
tor.” He brought her down a thousand feet or so 
until the white sides of the glaciers rose up like a wall 
against them. 

“ Nothing like investigating the outside of the house 
before you explore the interior,” said Strong, “ so the 
best thing we can do is to take a little cruise round. I 
have worked it out more or less, and I think that the 
circle of the hills, as we shall take it, is about a hundred 
and fifty miles in circumference.” 

Far beneath them, below the snow line, they here 
and there picked out tiny villages. Now and again a 
church spire of some small town showed up against the 
greenery of the plain. Strong slowed the ‘‘ Victor ” 
down to about fifty miles an hour, so that they could 
note as they passed any particular features of the Ring 
of Nissa. But there were few. The prospect, indeed, 
was as monotonous as it was forbidding. Here a great 
black rock precipice rose sheer up for a thousand feet. 
There was a snow slide, and there again the uneven 


STRONG DEALS THE WORLD A BLOW 91 


surface of the mountain-side was covered in everlasting 
ice. 

As they passed along the edge of the Ring of Nissa 
Strong pointed to a deep gully that looked about as 
narrow as a bootlace, but which must have been at least 
half a mile in width. This gully wound up the face of 
one of the mountains till it was lost in a crevice of the 
rocks. 

“ That,” said Strong, “ must have been the road by 
which the only attempt to solve the mystery of Nissa 
was ever attempted.” He brought the “ Victor ” to 
a stand and steadied her. “ I don’t think,” he said, 
we could hit upon a better way of getting inside the 
Ring than by following the course of that ravine.” 
He put the “ Victor ” straight for the place in which the 
bootlace-like gully ended. Half a mile above that 
point he jumped the Victor ” up again and then sent 
her forward. She traveled on close above the snow 
plain across which, apparently, those adventurers, who 
had made the only ascent of the Ring of Nissa on record, 
had plowed their enterprising way. 

The snow plain came to a sudden end with a sheer 
drop of 1500 feet or so. Hovering above this, Arbuth- 
not, with the aid of glasses, reported a deep-cut ravine 
through which a wild torrent of snow water was racing 
at express speed. On either side of the gully the rocks 
rose sheer up again to the snow line; above that were 
jagged peaks surmounted by snow and ice-fields. 

Strong put the Victor ” up once again, and she 
passed over the jagged edge of the Ring of Nissa. And 
then Pelham, who was hanging over the bows, uttered 
an exclamation. The “ Victor ” ran on, and all except 
Strong, who was at the wheel, craned over the side. 
They could now see that they were apparently in the 
center of a vast crater, the upper portions of which were 
snow and ice bound, and the depths of which were lined 
with thick woods. Further still beneath them they 


9 ^ 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


could see a green and pleasant valley, through which 
ran a torrent. 

“ So my father was right,” said Strong. He let the 
Victor ” drop gently down, and as the airship dipped 
and hovered, and dipped and hovered again, all the 
members of her crew busied themselves with taking 
observations of the haven which by such good fortune 
they had found. As they descended lower and lower 
between the pine woods, the better they could see how 
utterly wild, and yet not altogether barren, was the 
valley. Along the edge of the racing river the pines 
grew less thickly on the hillside, and where the ground 
was not carpeted with the dried needles from the trees a 
coarse grass grew in rank profusion. Beyond the 
coarse grass and pines they could discover no signs of 
vegetation. The boiling river roared at them in the 
silence, and the noise, confined as it was within a com- 
paratively narrow space, was all-pervading. It came 
up to them like the roar of a Niagara Falls. 

Langley indicated a natural glen almost in the center 
of the valley. 

“ It seems to me,” he said, “ that will be the best 
place for pulling up the ‘ Victor.’ ” 

Strong nodded, and put the airship gently down. 
Then, as was the case with the “ Di,” the “ Victor ” 
mechanically shot out four great telescopic legs, and 
with a little scrape and a little jar, and the grind of the 
spiked feet of the legs on the pine needles, came to a 
standstill. Strong threw over the wooden-runged rope 
ladder with which the “ Victor ” was supplied and 
climbed out. 

Strong’s first action on setting foot on earth again 
was to turn and pat the aluminium sides of the ‘‘ Vic- 
tor ” as he might have patted a horse. 

Strong’s resourceful brain had forgotten little that 
was needed. They had three tents in all. One of these 
Strong allotted to Miss Hunt, and in the second he put 


STRONG DEALS THE WORLD A BLOW 9S 


Arbuthnot, Pelham and Wildney. The third he kept 
for himself and Langley. 

When the tents had been pitched and the small cook- 
ing range of the “ Victor ” transferred from the air- 
ship to the space in the center of the tents, Strong 
looked about him. The camp was now beginning to 
look ship-shape, and Miss Hunt busied herself attend- 
ing to those minor details which always fall to the lot 
of woman. More or less domestic arrangements have 
to be made when a woman chances to be present. 

The party lunched in good spirits. The experiences 
of the past day and night had exhilarated rather than 
fatigued them. All were rejoicing in a new-born sense 
of strength and independence. 

Lunch over. Strong got to business again and called 
the little council in his own tent. 

“ The hardest part of all at the present moment,” 
he said, is going to fall on Miss Hunt.” He turned 
and looked at her kindly. “ Do you think,” he asked, 
‘‘ that you will be able to stand further days of excite- 
ment and adventure.? ” 

“ I never felt better in my life,” she said. 

That being the case,” said Strong, “ I am going 
to ask you to go to Budapest to-night.” 

“ Is not that a rather tall order.? ” said Miss Hunt, 
waving her hands at the encircling hills. 

Don’t think I am going to ask you to walk,” said 
Strong. “ We will take you there in the ‘ Victor ’ — 
you and Langley.” 

“I.?” said Langley. “It sounds as if you were 
about to get rid of me.” 

“ I am,” said Strong, “ and I will tell you why. I 
want you to go back to England and fetch the ‘ Di.’ ” 

“ Good gracious,” said Langley. “ Is not the ‘ Vic- 
tor ’ enough for you.? ” 

“ No,” said Strong, “ it is not — for this reason.” 
He paused and looked at the eager faces about him. 


94 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


“We might rush into the business of stealing the earth, 
at breakneck speed and succeed in breaking our necks. 
I may appear reckless on occasions, but I am far from: 
being careless, and there is a great deal I want to know 
about Romberg and the lie of the land there before I 
take the city by storm. 

“ Moreover,” he went on — “ and I feel sure you will 
sympathize with me in this — I want to see the Princess 
Diana at the palace before I call on His Majesty to 
capitulate. 

“ Now, that would be an impossible achievement with 
the ‘ Victor.’ Secrecy is impossible if one travels in an 
airship her size, but the ‘ Di,’ as we know, can come 
and go with practically as little risk of observation as a 
bird. There is risk, of course, but that we shall have 
to meet. 

“ For instance,” continued Strong, “ when we set out 
for Budapest we shall have to do so under the cover of 
darkness. I have no desire to land Miss Hunt and 
Langley into difficulties from which they could not 
extricate themselves by setting them down in Budapest 
in broad daylight with what would practically mean the 
eyes of the world upon them. 

“ If I did that, I fear Langley might never come back 
with the ‘ Di,’ and the part which I want Miss Hunt to 
play would be rendered practically impossible. I sug- 
gest,” he added, “ that she and Langley should go back 
to London together, and that on their arrival there Miss 
Hunt should give the Daily Wireless a message which I 
will prepare for her. In the meantime, Langley can go 
down to Oxford and secure the ‘ Di,’ over which, I hope 
to goodness, old Bill has been keeping careful watch and 
ward. Then,” Strong continued, “ they can start for 
this place together, though I do not propose that Miss 
Hunt should come back here. She will have to cut short 
her j ourney at Budapest and remain there with the out- 
side world ; otherwise, you see, though we shall be per- 


STRONG DEALS THE WORLD A BLOW 95 


fectly safe here, we should be practically lost to every- 
thing else that is going on in the world — a state of 
affairs which wouldn’t do at all, especially as I intend 
as soon as possible to open up negotiations with the 
King of Balkania.” 

Strong rose to his feet. In the interval,” he con- 
tinued, “ there is nothing to do except to roam about 
and explore a little.” 

“ May I make a suggestion ? ” asked Miss Hunt. 

“ Certainly,” said Strong. ‘‘ Please do ! ” 

“ What are we going to call this place ? ” asked Miss 
Hunt, and she swept her hand round and indicated the 
heights of the Ring of Nissa. 

‘‘By Jove!” said Strong. “I hadn’t thought of 
that. What’s a good name.'^ ” 

He looked about himi. 

“ It’s a bit of responsibility,” said Pelham, “ to find 
a name for an unknown country.” 

“ I have it,” said Strong. “ I think I have exactly 
the name we need, seeing that from this place we are 
practically going to remodel the face of the world — we 
will call it Aero.” 

Miss Hunt applauded with her hands. “ Excellent,’^ 
she cried. 

“ Gentlemen,” said Strong, gayly, “ I will now put 
the question. Those in favor of calling this place 
‘ Aero ’ please hold up their hands. All those to the 
contrary — none at all. Miss Hunt, I beg to inform 
you that our retreat is duly christened ‘ Aero.’ ” 

At ten o’clock, leaving the camp as it stood, Strong 
ordered the party into the “ Victor,” and in a few 
minutes Langley got the airship under way. She went 
sheer up at a great rate, and as they emerged from the 
gloom of the hills and came into the bright breadth of 
the starlit heavens Langley heaved a little sigh of relief. 

“ An hour does it,” said Strong, as he laid the 
“ Victor’s ” course northwest and pulled the switches 


96 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


over that gave her all the power she was capable of. 
It was intensely cold, and the party, huddled in blan- 
kets, sat in the well of the “ Victor ” without talking. 
Only once Strong roused Langley with his foot and 
asked if he was sure he had laid the course correctly. 

“ Perfectly,” said Langley, and if you look over 
the port bow I fancy you will see the lights of Budapest 
ahead of you.” 

Strong looked, and sure enough there rose from far 
beneath them the ruddy haze such as comes from an 
illuminated city at night. The moon was hidden, and 
the brightness of the night had greatly diminished; 
there was, therefore, little fear of the “ Victor ” being 
discovered. 

To the northwest of the town along the river, the 
country was thickly wooded and thinly dotted with 
villages. Still keeping at as low an altitude as he 
dared. Strong, using his night-glasses, did his best to 
make out the lie of the land beneath him. 

“ I think I have got it,” he said at last. “ Kamoff 
must lie behind that bit of pine wood. Yes, there can 
be no doubt of it. That must be KamofF. Now, all 
stand by,” he said, turning back to the controlling 
board, “ for a sudden dive. There will be no time for 
hesitation in this business.” 

The “ Victor ” swooped like a hawk, and Strong 
brought her down to the edge of the high road beside 
the wood which he had descried some minutes before. 

“ Now, Miss Hunt,” he said briskly, “ I have got to 
hustle you. I am sorry, but this is no time to stand on 
ceremony.” 

Miss Hunt shook herself clear of her wraps and 
climbed over the side of the “ Victor.” As she went 
over the side she stretched out her hand to Strong, who 
took it and grasped it warmly. 

“ Good-by,” he said ; “ God bless you ! May you 


STRONG DEALS THE WORLD A BLOW 97 


get safely to London town and safely back to us I I 
know you will not fail us.” 

“ Good-by,” said Miss Hunt. “ You can rely on 
me to perform my small share of your big task. Good- 
by.” 

She stepped down on to the ground, and Langley 
followed her. To him Strong said nothing at all, nor 
did Langley speak to him. They shook hands in si- 
lence. 

Then without more ado Strong put the Victor ” 
up again, and Pelham and Arbuthnot, hanging over the 
side, watched the two little black figures on the long 
black highway growing smaller and more indistinct till 
they were but smudges, which were finally wiped out by 
the night. 

Strong was in a silent mood, and said nothing to the 
other men in the Victor.” He put her about and 
made straight again for the Ring of Nissa. But in- 
stead of pausing there he went straight on, making for 
Bomberg. 

Arbuthnot, conscious that they had passed the gla- 
ciers which sheltered their forsaken camp, tapped 
Strong lightly on the knee. 

“ You have overshot the mark, old man,” he said. 

Strong, who was not in even a civil temper, answered 
him shortly. 

“ When I overshoot the mark,” he said, “ I shall 
probably know it myself.” He said no more, but let 
the “ Victor ” race on for another half-hour or so ; then 
he let her drop a couple of thousand feet and kept her 
hovering above the long black stretch of plain. From 
the cabin Strong brought out one of Langley’s wire- 
less instruments and placed it on the seat beside him. 
He pulled out his watch and looked at it, and found 
the hour was close on midnight. “ The witching hour,” 
he said to himself. “ The witching hour ; Diana’s own 


98 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


words and own choice of time. We will see if she is 
on the watch.” He began to tick-tack on the little in- 
strument, and he tick-tacked and tick-tacked for some 
five minutes before there came an answering flash. 

The flashes said: ‘‘Who’s there ” 

Now Strong, delighted at the success of his first ex- 
periment with the instrument, was of a mind to jest. 
For one second his spirit of mischief prompted him to 
say “ Miss Hunt,” but a second thought told him that 
such jesting would be perhaps a little unfair; so instead 
he tapped out a query : — 

“ Is that Diana ? ” 

The answer came: “Yes; who is that.?* Strong — 
the man who steals the earth ? ” 

Strong was no expert with the instrument, and he 
did not tick with the facility of a first-class operator. 
However, he contrived to tick off his share of the con- 
versation at a moderate speed. 

“ I have already stolen a bit of it,” he answered. 
“ I have found a fastness in the Carpathians, so secure 
that it will puzzle the whole world to dig me out of it. 
From that spot I am coming to see you and tell you 
exactly what I have done and what I am going to do. 
Is it all well with you ? ” 

Diana answered: “ Not too well. Papa is in a hor- 
rible state of mind. The news of your ascent reached 
him last night, and since then he has been unapproach- 
able. He cabled for Ludwig at once, and the dear 
young man should be here some time to-morrow even- 
ing. Will you come to Romberg first or wait for his 
arrival ? ” 

“ Are you laughing.?* ” said Strong. 

“ No,” came the answer, “ I am not laughing. I am 
almost serious.” 

“ Can you go on ticking? ” asked Strong. “ Is it 
safe? ” 


STRONG DEALS THE WORLD A BLOW 99 


^‘For a few minutes, yes; but my father is so sus- 
picious of me that I am practically under guard. 
There is a sentry in the passage, and papa himself may 
come up to my rooms at any moment. When will you 
come to see me ? ” 

“ Not to-night, my dear,” said Strong, “ nor to- 
morrow, nor the day after. I cannot come in the ‘ Vic- 
tor ’ ; she is too big for such a visit. But Langley 
has gone to England for the ‘ Di,’ and with luck he 
should be back with it at Aero — that is the name by 
which I have christened my headquarters on Friday 
night. If you will watch for me at midnight I will be 
there. How I shall come, whether by the ‘ Di ’ or by 
the front gate, I cannot tell ; but I shall be there.” 

‘‘ Very well,” Diana answered ; “ I will watch for you. 
I am beginning to believe in you. Good night ! ” 

Miss Hunt’s report in the Daily Wireless of the voy- 
age of the “ Victor ” and the discovery of Aero stag- 
gered London. An hour or so later it was staggering 
the earth. 

Since the Victor ” had made her ascent from the 
Crystal Palace amid wild scenes of excitement and 
disorder there had been the greatest speculation as to 
where the extraordinary craft had gone. 

It was frankly recognized that an airship that had 
leaped up as the ‘‘ Victor ” had and then sailed away at 
a terrific rate at an altitude of several thousand feet 
was a power to be reckoned with. 

Strong’s bold boasts that he meant to steal the 
earth were recapitulated times without number. These 
threats, it is true, were not regarded as entirely serious, 
but none the less it was admitted that a reckless man, 
such as Strong appeared to be, might easily become a 
pirate of the air and a menace to the world’s peace. 

The question, therefore, upon the lips of the five 


100 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


continents was whither had the “ Victor ” gone. There 
were strange and exaggerated stories of its visit to 
Paris and the episode at the Arc de Triomphe. 

The course of the ‘‘ Victor ” was traced with more 
or less accuracy over Spain, and the last available de- 
tails of the airship’s amazing flight were cabled to Lon- 
don and the ends of the earth from Lagos. 

But what had become of her after that.? She had 
disappeared high over the Atlantic Ocean. 

Then came the utterly staggering news from the pen 
of Miss Hunt of the finding of Aero, and the machines 
of the Daily Wireless pounded and whirred and had 
not ceased their output of the wonderful story when 
evening came. 

Mr. Sharp was beside himself with joy, and even 
the placid Miss Hunt was in the seventh heaven of jour- 
nalistic delight. Never in the annals of journalism 
had such a ‘‘ scoop ” been known. 

The astonishment and excitement were also increased 
tenfold by the fact that the Daily Wireless announced 
that it would continue to publish particulars of the 
career of Mr. Strong. 

The people of London were so thrown off their 
balance that the streets of the West End recalled Mafe- 
king night. Why the people gathered in scores of 
thousands along the Strand, down the Mall, and round 
Buckingham Palace, and eastwards round the Mansion 
House, no man, not even the psychologists, could say. 

But there they were, eager and shouting, and excited 
as Londoners had never before been excited. They had 
nothing to do, very little to say, and practically nothing 
to think of except the mysterious and vanished per- 
sonality of the man who swore that he would steal the 
earth. 

The effect on the United States was scarcely less, and 
Europe was moved as though by some great catastro- 


STRONG DEALS THE WORLD A BLOW 101 


phe. In every capital the different Embassies were ex- 
changing messages with headquarters, while the heads 
of the different states held hurried councils of war. 
They were nervous, and yet entirely ashamed of their 
nervousness ; for as yet there was no real cause to 
imagine that the world stood in any peril. 

In Bomberg, the King of Balkania was completely 
taken aback, and on receipt of the news he cabled to 
Prince Ludwig to return to Balkania at once. In his 
own businesslike room the King sat hour after hour 
smoking cigar after cigar, turning and twisting and 
weighing the whole affair in his mind. Once he suf- 
fered almost a little pang of fear, and he rose from his 
chair, straightened himself, and went over to the win- 
dow and gazed out. Could it be that, after all, he 
himself, the most iron-nerved man of his acquaintance, 
was losing his old spirit of callous indifference — an 
indifference which practically amounted to a sublime 
courage.? 

The King prided himself on being his own counsel. 
He had never taken any man’s advice, nor turned to 
any man for assistance in time of trouble. He had al- 
ways stood apart and alone, confident in himself and 
treating those responsible for his country’s safety, un- 
der himself, as the merest pawns in his game. There- 
fore he would discuss with no man the thing which had 
come to pass. And the only sign of anxiety which his 
Court could detect in him was the increased coolness in 
his manner. To Ludwig, of course, he would be com- 
pelled to speak, and therefore for Ludwig he waited. 

Ludwig came on the evening of the second day, and 
was shown up at once to the King’s room. As he passed 
into the bare, formal apartment, the prince’s knees 
shook under him ; for he was really a coward at heart, 
and the look on the King’s face was sufficient to strike 
terror into him. 


102 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


The King swung round in his chair, drummed his 
fingers on his roll-top desk, and in an icy tone uttered 
an interrogatory “Well?” 

“ I came as soon as I could,” said Ludwig. It was 
the wholly unnecessary excuse of a frightened man. 

“ Did you bring a copy of the Daily Wireless with 
you ? ” asked the King. For reply Ludwig placed that 
paper on the table. 

The King, methodical as ever, settled his eyeglass on 
his nose, turned to the front page, and read the whole 
amazing story through from beginning to end. 

When he had finished reading the King looked into 
Ludwig’s face. 

“ This is clear enough,” he said, “ but have you any- 
thing to suggest? ” 

“ Well, yes,” Ludwig said, “ I have a distinct sus- 
picion, but I hardly like to suggest it to Your Maj- 
esty.” 

“ Never mind about that at the present moment,” 
said the King ; “ be kind enough to say exactly what 
you think. Even fools can be of help at times.” He 
eyed the prince in the most unpleasant way. 

“ Well, my idea is this,” Ludwig stammered ; “ but 
again I would assure Your Majesty that I dislike to 
mention it. But it is just possible that Strong may 
have smuggled a wretched wireless apparatus into the 
palace. In which case he may, in the past two or 
three days, have been in communication with the prin- 
cess ! ” 

The King leaped to his feet and brought his fist 
down with a crash on the table. 

“ Good God ! ” he cried, “ why did I not think of 
that? ” He looked round at the prince. “ When that 
woman, Miss Hunt, was here from the Daily Wireless 
she went driving to the Morning Hills, and Diana went 
driving out there too, and there the two girls had some 


STRONG DEALS THE WORLD A BLOW lOS 


conversation together, though I had expressly forbid- 
den it. I was indebted to Captain Kowchoffski for that 
piece of information. But they came back on horse- 
back, so, as far as that goes, could have brought noth- 
ing with them. However, it is certainly a matter worth 
investigation. I can only call myself an ass for neg- 
lecting to think of Diana.” The King glanced at the 
clock, which pointed to close on midnight. ‘‘ If the 
princess has not already gone to bed,” he said, ‘‘ I will 
speak to her on this matter. You had better accom- 
pany me.” 

He swung out of the door so quickly that he startled 
the sentry stationed without. At the end of the cor- 
ridor His Majesty got into one of the many elevators 
with which the exceedingly up-to-date palace was fitted. 
He told the attendant to go up to the princess’ suite, 
and the man set the elevator in motion. 

Two floors up the elevator was stopped, and the King 
stepped out, and, followed by Ludwig, walked down the 
great corridor which ran along the whole length of the 
north side of the palace. It was lighted from the south 
side by windows that looked into the courtyard. 

Outside the great double doorway, in the center of 
the corridor which led to the Princess Diana’s rooms, 
there was posted a sentry, who saluted as the King and 
Ludwig approached. 

The King lifted his hand and rapped with his knuc- 
kles on the door which led direct into the princess’ fa- 
vorite sitting-room. His Majesty knew that if the 
princess herself were not there, there would at least be 
a maid or a lady-in-waiting, for some attendant of the 
princess was always present in this room both by day 
and night. 

But no answer came to the King’s knock. He 
knocked a second time, louder than before, and still 
there was no reply. A third time he knocked, batter- 


104 HE CX)NQUERED THE KAISER 


ing his signet-ring against the panels; but still there 
was no answer. 

The King took the handle of the door, determined to 
enter without further ceremony, only to find that the 
door was locked. He shook the door fiercely, till the 
bolts which secured it top and bottom rattled loudly; 
then he paused and pressed his ear against the wood- 
work. 

From within came the sound of a little cry, followed 
by a few sharp words uttered in low tones by a man’s 
voice. 


CHAPTER VIII 


DIANA CALLS 

The day of Langley’s return to Aero with the “ Di ” 
was spent in idleness. The arrangements were all so 
complete that there was nothing left to do but loiter 
through the time that divided them from the appointed 
hour for action. 

True, in the afternoon Strong called Langley on one 
side, and together they spent a couple of hours por- 
ing over maps and charts, and making little calculations 
with the aid of the compasses in their respective note- 
books. The result of their labors was to lay out a 
complete set of routes between Aero and all the capitals 
of Europe. When they had finished their work Strong 
stretched himself and yawned. 

“ I think that will do for the present,” he said. 
“ We can leave the rest of the four continents alone for 
a while.” 

Langley shook his head in doubt as to their ability 
to deal adequately with even one continent. He was 
not even then sure that Strong had not, to use one of 
his own expressive phrases, “ bitten off more than he 
could chew.” Darkness came down on them quickly at 
about four o’clock, and after that the men spent their 
time sitting round the fire reading by the light of the 
flaring logs or occupied with their own thoughts. 

At seven o’clock Strong fetched out one of the wire- 
less instruments and placed it on the ground beside 
him. He began to tick a query in the hope that by 
some means or another he might attract the attention 

105 


106 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


of Diana at Romberg. In these efforts he was persist- 
ent because he saw that if he failed to attract her at- 
tention till midnight it would mean another day wasted 
at Aero. 

Presently his heart leaped with pleasure as he de- 
tected through the glass of the instrument an answering 
flash, and there came the usual question of “ Whc^s 
there ? ” 

“ Strong,” was the reply. “ Who is that ? ” 

The answer was : Diana.” 

“ Then,” ticked Strong, “ is it safe for me to con- 
tinue.? ” 

“ Yes,” was the reply. 

A sudden suspicion crossed Strong’s mind. It 
might not in reality be Diana who was answering him. 

So he ticked off this question : ‘‘ What did you say 

to me on the banks of the river at Cookham when I saw 
you that morning with the gun ? ” 

The answer reassured him. “ I am on guard against 
the man who steals the earth.” 

“ Are you still on guard, and do you stiU defy me, 
or are you ready to be my ally ? ” 

“ Not an ally as yet,” was the answer, but a 
friend.” 

Strong ticked away busily. ‘‘ To-night,” he said, 
“ I propose to come and visit you, but it will be a 
greater difficulty for me to get into the palace at Rom- 
berg than it was for me to visit you at Park Street. 
May I rely on you for help ? ” 

The answer which the sparks flashed out was aggra- 
vating. “ Does the man who steals the earth need 
help.? ” 

Strong answered : “ He does on this occasion. 

Have you a friend in the palace whom you can trust .? ” 

There was a pause, and then the answer, “ I think 
so.” 


DIANA CALLS 


lOY 


“ His name ? ” 

“ Captain Petroff.” 

“ Then to-night I will come to you in the guise of a 
peasant. If my purpose is queried I shall be bringing 
with me a piece of quartz which I am convinced con- 
tains ruby, which I desire to lay at the feet of the 
Princess Diana.” 

The only answer was : Loud laughter.” 

Strong rapped sharply on the instrument. ‘‘ This 
is not the time for jesting; Will you assist me or will 
you not.f^ ” 

The answer was “ Yes.” 

‘‘ Unfortunately I have no peasant’s clothes, and my 
girth is considerable; moreover, I do not wish either 
to steal the garments or murder a man for his clothes 
on the way to Bomberg. Can you get Petroff to meet 
me at some appointed place outside the town with the 
clothes I need?” 

The answer was : “ I will see what can be done.” 

“ Promise me that it shall be done ? ” 

Very well, I promdse.” 

Now for the place of meeting,” rapped Strong. 
‘‘ I have studied the map of Bomberg and its environs 
carefully, and I find that three miles outside the north 
gate there is a little eating-house on the high road to 
the Morning Hills. If PetrofF will be there with a horse 
at about a quarter-past eleven o’clock I will be there 
waiting for him. He had better bring a spare horse 
for me — a rough country horse by choice — driving a 
carriage would be ridiculous on such an errand, and 
one cannot trust the people who own carts.” 

‘‘ You do not give me much time,” urged Diana. 

Time enough, my dear, for people in a hurry,” 
tapped Strong. 

“ Very well, I will arrange it.” 

“ Have you nothing more to say ? ” asked Strong. 


108 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


“ Nothing at all,” was the answer, “ except that I 
shall be glad to receive you. Au revolrT 

On the outskirts of Romberg Langley brought the 
“ Di ” down, but did not trouble to put out her legs. 
He kept her hovering over a few feet above the ground, 
and Strong, hoisting himself over the edge, dropped 
softly on to his feet. 

He watched the ‘‘ Di ” jump clear again, and then 
set off for the inn, which he could now see quite plainly 
about a quarter of a mile distant. He walked down 
the high road for a couple of hundred yards or so, and 
then turned over prairie land, making a slight detour 
so as to reach the stables at the back of the guest-house. 
As he drew near he could see two horses tethered under 
a tree, while a cloaked figure stood impassively beside 
them. 

Strong walked towards them with long, quick strides. 
As he drew near the man in the cloak came forward 
and peered at him, keen-eyed, from beneath a kepi. 

‘‘ Mr. Strong? ” he asked in German. 

‘‘ The same,” answered Strong, ‘‘ at your service.” 

The other gave a slight laugh. “ If you will per- 
mit me to say it, the boot seems to be on the other 
leg.” 

“ Never mind,” said Strong, smiling back at him, 
“ I am fond of being polite. You will understand how 
suave I am when we come to know each other better. I 
presume you are Captain PetrofF? ” 

‘‘ The same,” answered the captain, lifting his hand 
towards his kepi in a half-salute, “ and very much at 
your service indeed.” 

“ Do not let us quarrel on that point,” said Strong, 
laughing ; “ let us both call ourselves at the service of 
the princess.” 

“ Nothing could please me better,” said Captain 
PetrofF. 


DIANA CALLS 


109 


‘‘ Now,’’ said Strong, his voice taking on a sharper 
tone, “ we must get to work. Have you brought the 
clothes ? ” 

The captain indicated the bundle lying at the horse’s 
head. 

“ And the quartz.? ” 

“ Even that,” said the captain. I have not for- 
gotten.” He stooped and brought out of the bundle a 
very ordinary-looking piece of granite. 

‘‘ Excellent,” cried Strong. “ And where am I to 
perform my toilet.? I do not object to changing my 
clothes in view of the stars or in the chilliness of the 
night, but I have no desire to allow people to wonder 
what I am doing by changing my kit in the open.” 

Captain PetrofF laughed. He liked Strong. He was 
a man after his own heart. 

All that,” said he, “ is arranged for, but I am 
afraid that the part you have been cast to play is a 
somewhat strange one for a man of your inches.” 

He stepped up to Strong, placed his hand on his arm, 
and laughed at him in the darkness. 

‘‘ You may not believe it, my dear sir,” he said, ‘‘ but 
as a matter of fact you are my lady-love. You are the 
one girl I passionately adore. The elopement is fixed 
for 11.20, and I have already engaged the interests of 
the serving-maid at the inn. She is all flutter and ro- 
mance, and I believe that she would lose her soul, or even 
her job, to further my flight with the girl of my heart.” 

“ Oh, oh ! ” said Strong, “ so that’s it. That ac- 
counts for the horses tethered under the tree. This is 
the trysting-place.” 

Captain PetrofF chuckled. 

‘‘ Yes,” he said, ‘‘ that is it. Not a bad game either, 
but now let’s get into the cow-shed, where you can 
change.” 

Captain PetrofF took up a stable lantern from the 
ground and made his way across the filthy yard that 


110 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


occupied the space between the inn and the low-built, 
straggling stables. 

When they came to the door Petroff thrust it open 
with his foot, walked in, and set the lantern down. He 
threw the bundle of clothes to the ground and motioned 
to Strong to enter. 

‘‘ It is not very savory,” said Petroff, sniffing the 
reeking atmosphere of the cow-shed, “ but I presume 
the place will suffice. While you are changing I will 
mount guard at the door. I suppose there is no neces- 
sity to urge on you the expediency of haste ? ” 

“ None,” said Strong, who then blundered into the 
cow-shed, and, opening the bundle, picked out its con- 
tents. He then began to divest himself of his own 
clothes and array himself in the baggy trousers, de- 
cidedly unclean shirt, and fusty jacket with which Pet- 
roff had furnished him. 

The captain meantime stood at the door, smoking a 
cigarette. 

A few minutes later, having hidden his own clothes 
in the shed. Strong climbed into the saddle of the small 
rough horse, which was scarcely up to his riding weight. 

Petroff was already ambling towards the high road, 
and Strong, digging his heels into the horse’s flanks, 
moved after him. 

They rode down the high road to the city in silence. 
Petroff made for the north gate, which was then only 
a gate in name. There were no longer any sentries to 
pass. 

They ambled along together through the straggling 
outskirts of the town, made a detour in order to reach 
the main street from a by-way, and then climbed up 
the hill. 

Again Petroff branched off, and so worked by 
devious paths to the back of the palace. In the deep 
shadows of a narrow lane he brought his horse to a halt. 

“ Mr. Strong,” said the captain, ‘‘ I fear you will 


DIANA CALLS 


111 


have to wait here for about half an hour. We cannot 
go to the palace together, and it will be necessary for 
me to be there when you arrive.” 

Strong raised no word of objection to this, but he 
asked a question : “ Which is the way ? ” 

Captain PetrofF pointed up the lane with his riding- 
whip. 

“ Turn to the left at the top,” he said, “ and then 
to the right. Then if you go straight on you will come 
to the gates. Give me half an hour and you will find 
me there.” 

Good,” said Strong. 

PetrofF nodded to him in the darkness, and Strong 
nodded back. Then the captain drove his spurs home, 
and his horse jumped forward. 

For five-and- twenty minutes Strong sat patiently 
on his horse, smoking cigarettes and marveling at the 
quiet of the place. Now and again a man passed him 
and looked up curiously at the tall horseman; but 
Strong’s rough, almost ragged, peasant’s clothes 
shielded him from any overwhelming curiosity. 

When five-and-twenty minutes had passed he dug 
his heels again into his horse’s lean flanks and moved 
up the lane. He followed the course PetrofF had set for 
him, and in a few minutes came to a pair of old iron 
gates which swung on massive hinges set in dull gray 
stone gate-posts. 

On the left-hand side of the gateway was a little 
lodge, and in the light cast from the window Strong 
could see PetrofF waiting. He came forward as Strong 
approached and asked: 

“ Are you the man from Mogda.f^ ” 

Strong bowed himself to double in his saddle, and 
then, throwing his long right leg over his shaggy steed’s 
withers, slipped down to the ground. 

He played his part well. From the bosom of his 
soiled shirt he drew the piece of quartz. He mumbled 


112 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


almost below his breath as if he were fearful any eaves- 
dropper should detect the strangeness of his accent. 

‘‘ The princess will see you,” said Captain Petroff. 

Again Strong bowed almost to his knees ; then he 
followed the captain, dragging and shuffling his feet. 
When they came into the glare of the side entrance- 
hall, Strong allowed his jaw to drop in wonder, and he 
rolled his eyes about him as a man unaccustomed to 
such magnificence. He hugged the precious lump of, 
quartz to his heart. 

Without a word PetrofF led the way down the passage 
to the elevator. Strong, playing his part to perfection, 
uttered a little scream of terror as the elevator shot up. 
The attendant grinned behind his hand. 

Breathing hard and muttering to himself. Strong 
shuffled after Petroff down the corridor leading to the 
princess’ rooms. The sentry outside the door saluted 
as Petroff approached, and the captain knocked at the 
door. 

Strong tightened his hold on the lump of quartz as 
he heard Diana call ‘‘ Come in ! ” 

The captain opened the door and made a movement 
of his hand commanding Strong to enter. He walked 
in after him and closed the door. 

In a far corner Diana was seated on a couch, and 
when she beheld Strong’s strange figure she began to 
laugh. 

Strong strode over to a table, deposited the quartz 
on it with a thud, and flung his greasy cap into a 
corner. Then he walked over to Diana, dropped on his 
knee, and seized her hand quite regardless of Petroff’s 
presence. 

But Diana only laughed, and Strong, catching the 
humor of the situation, began to laugh too. He buried 
his face in Diana’s hands, and laughed loud and long. 
But this outburst of merriment on his part brought 
Diana to her senses. 


DIANA CALLS 


113 


’Sh,” she said. She thrust Strong* a little away 
from her, and rose to her feet. “ We forget the sentry, 
I think,” she said. “ Captain PetrolF, you may leave 
us.” 

Captain Petroff saluted. 

“ Your Royal Highness,” he said, even though she 
remembers the sentry, does not think of him quite 
enough. There will be a deal of talk in the palace if I 
leave Your Royal Highness alone with a peasant from 
the hills. I cannot go out through the door by which 
I entered.” 

True,” said Diana. Pass through my rooms 
until you come to the end of the corridor. Then I 
think you had best disappear to the ante-room.” She 
walked up to him and looked at him with gratitude. 
‘‘ You have done me great service this night, and 
believe me, I will not forget it. If this brings trouble 
on you, you may rely on me.” She held out her hand 
to Petroff, who clicked his heels together, bowed, and 
kissed her fingers. Then he straightened himself, 
saluted, and clanked away through the long succession 
of the princess’ rooms. 

Diana turned to Strong, and they stood for some 
seconds and looked at each other with grave eyes. 
Diana was the first to speak. 

“ After all,” she said, “ is not this rather a mad 
business ? ” 

The color rushed to Strong’s face. 

‘‘ Nothing,” he said, ‘‘ is too mad or too bad which 
enables me to see you.” 

Diana sighed, laughed a rather tired little laugh, 
and walking over to the couch, reseated herself. She 
looked very weary now. 

If these clothes do not offend you too much,” said 
Strong, “ I will sit beside you.” He did not wait for 
any objections, but sat down. 

Again Diana looked at him long and rather wistfully. 


114 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


What does it all mean ? ” she said. Where is it 
all leading us ? ” 

To happy days,” he said. Sweetheart,” he went 
on, taking her hands, “ this little interlude should not 
cast you into gloom, but delight you.” 

“ You always were egotistical,” said Diana. 

My dear,” said Strong, “ I have not much time 
to discuss philosophy with you, but the ego is the thing. 
The only way is to have sufficient ego to swamp the 
other people’s.” 

“ Even when one has to resort to disguises of this 
sort.? ” suggested Diana. 

“ Even then,” said Strong. 

He looked away for a moment, and then back at 
Diana. 

“ I .came,” he said, “ to ask you a direct question. 
Whatever the answer may be, it will make no difference 
in what I shall achieve, but it will make a difference in 
the method. I shall steal the earth with a glad heart, 
and good will be the outcome of it, or I shall steal the 
earth in a savage mood and evil will befall many. It 
depends upon your answer. Do you love me.? ” 

Diana looked at him rather sadly. At last she said : 

Yes, I am afraid I do.” 

Strong jumped to his feet and took half a dozen 
turns up and down the room. Then he came back and 
stood squarely before her. Stooping, he caught her 
hands, drew her up from her seat. 

“ If that be so,” he said, “ then everything is settled. 
I suppose it sounds a little paradoxical to say that I 
am going to introduce the millennium by way of battle, 
murder, and sudden death — but there is no other way. 

‘‘ I am going to rob you of your kingdom,” he went 
on, “ only to give it back to you. Within a few weeks I 
shall be crowned King of Balkania, and you shall be my 
queen.” 

Diana laughed again. 


DIANA CALLS 


115 


And what of papa ? ” she asked. 

Papa will capitulate gracefully, or will be, to put 
it vulgarly, ‘ turned out,’ I will certainly give him the 
choice.” 

“ That’s kind of you,” said Diana. 

‘‘ Di, Di,” said Strong, “ when you are in such a 
mood as this you perplex me more than any thing or 
any person in the world. I feel that your heart is mine, 
and yet you laugh at me — always laugh at me.” 

One always laughs at threats,” said Diana. “ It’s 
an accomplishment which is to be treated seriously.” 

“ Diana,” said Strong, earnestly, ‘‘ the accomplish- 
ment is coming very soon. Believe me, very soon indeed. 
But I came to ask you this — will you trust me and 
leave Bomberg now.^^ Will you return with me here as 
a queen already crowned? ” 

No,” said Diana, “ I will not.” 

“ Why not ? ” asked Strong. 

My dear boy,” said Diana, “ I am an inveterate 
reader of ladies’ magazines, and I find in the advice 
accorded to persons who are threatening matrimony 
that it is laid down as an invariable law that if a woman 
cannot induce a man to some course of action before 
marriage she will not succeed in persuading him to that 
course of action afterwards.” 

Strong took the jest gravely. 

Then,” said he, ‘‘ you really wish me to steal the 
earth? ” 

Diana’s face grew scarlet. 

‘‘ When you have stolen,” she said, even so much 
as this kingdom I am willing to be this kingdom’s queen.” 

Strong caught her to him, and as Diana’s face was 
buried against his breast he kissed her hair again and 
again. The clock on the mantelpiece chimed the mid- 
night, and Strong started and put Diana quickly away 
from him. 

‘‘My dear,” he said, “you make me forget that if 


116 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


I do not leave here within the next few minutes I shall 
probably never leave here at all.” 

He went over to the window and looked out. The 
time was now due for Langley’s advent in the “ Di,” 
but there was no sign of the “ Di ” as yet. It was then 
that Diana heard a knocking at the door and said 

Hush!” 

Strong whipped round quickly. “ What’s that ? ” 
he whispered. 

The knocking came again and yet again. Diana’s 
face was very pale and sad. Then through the heavy 
woodwork came the King’s voice calling for admission. 
Strong went over to Diana and took her by the arm. 

“ Dearest,” he said, ‘‘ you must leave matters to me.” 
He led her gently over to the couch, and Diana sank 
upon it and sat quiet and rigid. They could hear the 
King’s voice raised on the further side of the door. 
Strong went over to the window again and looked out. 
Directly overhead he heard the soft whirr of the “ Di’s ” 
propellers. He caught sight of Langley’s pale face 
peering down at him. 

‘‘ Quick ! ” cried Strong. 

Behind him came the crash of the butt-ends of rifles 
on the door. Strong looked and saw Di, with a face as 
pale as ashes, staring straight before her. 

As Langley brought the “ Di ” down to the level of 
the sill, then stretched out a hand and kept the light 
craft steady against the ledge. Strong ran lightly and 
quickly over to Diana, raised her face up in his hands 
and kissed her on the mouth. 

“ Courage, my maid,” he said. “ I feel a coward to 
leave you, but I have no other course. To-morrow I 
shall return.” Then he lifted up her hands and kissed 
them, and even as he did so the door began to give and 
splinter. He rushed over to the window and climbed 
quickly into the ‘‘ Di.” 

“ Up 1 ” he shouted to Langley. 


DIANA CALLS 


IIT 


As they shot upwards Strong saw the door of Diana’s 
room give way with a crash and half a dozen soldiers 
come tumbling in. The soldiers came tumbling into the 
room and sprawled upon the floor. They picked them- 
selves up, drew themselves to attention, and looked 
stupidly about them. 

After them came the King, picking his way daintily 
across the debris of the broken door. Ludwig, jerking 
his head and twitching his face, shuffled after him. 

His Majesty did not pause, but moved straight across 
the room, turning his head only once to take a swift 
look at Diana. It seemed that he guessed precisely what 
had happened. The window was still wide open, and the 
King walked over to it. 

By this time the “ Di ” had leaped clear by a thou- 
sand feet or so, and as she carried no lights, the King, 
though he glanced up, could not detect the shape of her 
against the blackness of the sky. His Majesty there- 
fore found himself in the maddening situation of being 
able to do nothing — at any rate so far as Strong was 
concerned. But he did it remarkably well. He turned 
coolly from the window and ordered the soldiers out of 
the room. Then he posted them in the corridor, where 
they were out of earshot, and beckoned Ludwig to ap- 
proach. Ludwig, his white face still twitching, shuffled 
into the center of the room. 

‘‘ Madam,” said the King, turning to his daughter, 
‘‘ it is only reasonable that I should ask for an explana- 
tion.” 

Diana’s face, which had been white, now flushed. 

“ It seems to me, sir,” she said, “ that it is I who 
might reasonably ask for an explanation from you.” 

“ We will waive that point,” said the King, “ seeing 
that on this occasion I propose to insist on a prior 
claim.” 

Diana shrugged her shoulders*. 

“ That,” she said, “ is insulting enough. Do you in- 


118 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


tend to increase the insult by asking me for an explana- 
tion before this person? ” 

She waved her hand towards the shuffling Ludwig. 

“ Yes,” said the King, “ I do. In view of the pro- 
posals I have already made it is absolutely necessary.” 

Again Diana changed her mood. Now she laughed. 

“ If you insist,” she said, “ you shall hear what you 
desire to know. But I rather fancy that when the 
explanation has been made you will wish that it had 
been made privately.” 

The King looked at his watch. 

“ The hour,” he remarked, “ is growing late.” 

“ Excuse me for one moment,” said Diana, and swept 
out of the room. She returned immediately, carrying 
a small square box. 

“ This,” she said, placing it on the table, is a gift 
from Mr. Strong, with Mr. Strong’s compliments — and 
mine.” 

The King looked at the object coldly. 

“ I suppose it is hardly necessary,” said Diana to 
the King, to inform you that Mr. Strong was here to- 
night.” She colored a little. ‘‘ Mr. Strong came in 
the first place to see me, but in the second place to ask 
me to give you this. It is, I may inform you, a wireless 
telegraphic instrument, through which, at one o’clock, 
Mr. Strong will dictate to Your Majesty the terms on 
which he proposes you should surrender the kingdom of 
Balkania.” 

The King tightened his mouth and smiled a trifle 
grimly under his mustache. 

“ Indeed,” he said. 

“ You were pleased,” said Diana, to look at your 
watch just now, and therefore I presume you will not 
object to my looking at the clock. It is now a quarter 
to one, and as my explanation will take fully fifteen 
minutes, I would beg of you not to interrupt me.” 

She sat down quite calmly and collectedly on the 


DIANA CALLS 


119 


couch. She was in as cold and bitter and as sarcastic a 
mood as her father. 

She began in low and hurried accents- to recount the 
incidents which had led up to Strong’s visit, 

“And so I trust Your Majesty will see,” she con- 
cluded, “ that Mr. Strong is scarcely indulging in idle 
boasting. The fact that he was able to visit me here 
to-night, and is now in the perfect safety of the sky, 
should, I think, be sufficient proof of that.” 

“A gallant lover, indeed,” said the King, bitterly, 
“ to leave you in such a manner.” 

Diana’s face went scarlet. “ He has not left me for 
long. Your Majesty,” she said. 

“ And when,” asked the King, “ am I to hear from 
the romantic and remarkable Mr. Strong? ” 

“ I think,” said Diana, “ that he is endeavoring to 
communicate with you even now.” 

A sharp clicking noise as that of a typewriter in 
active operation came from the box. Diana rose and 
walked over to the table. The King instinctively fol- 
lowed her gaze. Through the little circle of glass in the 
lid of the box came flash after flash. 

Strong was calling on the name of Diana. 


CHAPTER IX 


TO STEAL A THEONE 

When the “ Di ” shot up Strong mechanically said, 
“ One thousand feet.” At one thousand feet they 
hovered. 

Strong turned to Langley. 

“ For the first time in my life,” Strong continued, 
‘‘ I feel distinctly like a cur and a coward. But I had 
no other course. I suppose it is a hard thing to say, 
and a bitter one, but if one plays a game of this sort, 
and a woman elects to play with one, she has to be 
treated as part of the mechanism of the whole. Heaven 
knows that if Diana were not of this venture, or even 
against us, I would not have left her as I did. She will 
not find it an over-pleasant task to face her father.” 

“ I rather think,” said Langley, quietly, “ that Her 
Royal Highness will be quite equal to the occasion.” 

“ She will,” said Strong. “ Otherwise I would not 
have left her. I rely on her. I rely on her so much that 
sometimes I wonder whether I do not set her tasks 
beyond her power.” He was silent for a few moments, 
and then broke out again. ‘‘ It is all very well,” he 
cried, “ for you and me to be up here out of all danger 
and out of the range of all insult. But it is another 
thing for ‘ the girl I’ve left behind me.’ ” He broke off 
in his customary inconsequential way and whistled a 
few bars of the soldier’s song. Then he burst out 
savagely : ‘‘ I am almost beginning to hate this business. 
It entails so much waiting — and waiting is a woman’s 
part. Which I suppose,” he went on, ‘‘ means that I 
have not got the stamina of a woman. I want to be up 


TO STEAL A THRONE 


121 


and doing. I loathe this hanging about. And it must 
be harder for Diana. She has more waiting to do than 
I have.” 

He took out his watch and thrust it almost fiercely 
into the light which illumined the compass. 

“ Another five minutes must pass,” he said, “ before 
it is practicable to make any sign.” He sat on, watch- 
ing the second-hand jerk its way through the minutes. 
He was scrupulously careful in his recording of the 
time. It was to the second of the five minutes which 
he allowed himself that he took out the wireless instru- 
ment and began to click a query. 

After a few seconds there came an answering flash. 

“ Who is that ? ” he asked. 

He knew well enough, but asked the question auto- 
matically. It was a custom bred of the telephone. 

‘‘ Diana,” was the answer. 

“ Your father.? ” 

“ Is here.” 

Strong ticked savagely at the button. 

“You are prepared.?” he asked — and a certain 
amount of business-like precision was imparted into his 
ticking — “ to act as my plenipotentiary.? ” 

Then came the monosyllabic answer : “ Yes.” 

The tick-tick conversation proceeded as follows : 

“ I will ask you to inform His Majesty of Balkania 
that I require him to capitulate — to surrender me the 
city and his person at 6 a. m. If His Majesty refuses I 
shall shell the town. I await His Majesty’s answer.” 

There was a long pause, and three times Strong 
ticked a query before he got an answer. Then it came : 

“The reply is ‘No.’” Then: “This is private; I 
trust that you do not mean what you say.” 

Strong wondered in his own mind whether this was 
an inspired hope, but he simply ticked back : “ I do.” 

Then came the answer : “ The King bids you proceed.” 

Strong replied : “ The bombardment will begin at six.” 


122 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


He waited for a few moments gnawing his nails, still 
impatient at the delay. He put in another query, but 
no answer came. 

He turned to Langley. “ Aero,” he said. 

When the “ Di ” dropped into the shadows of the 
crater of the Ring of Nissa, Arbuthnot and the rest 
were waiting for them. Without a word, Strong climbed 
out of the “ Di ” and made for the “ Victor.” 

‘‘ Langley,” he said, “ will come with me on this trip, 
with Arbuthnot and Pelham.” Then he turned to Wild- 
ney. “ You don’t mind being left alone.? ” he asked. 

Wildney laughed. “ To tell the truth,” he said, “ I 
shall feel rather like a nervous man who is left alone in a 
house which he has searched for burglars and found 
empty.” 

Strong smiled. “ So long as you can laugh,” he 
said, “ you are all right.” And he climbed into the 
“ Victor.” 

They were back over Romberg at five o’clock. 

“ Five hundred feet,” said Strong. 

And at five hundred feet they remained, while Pelham 
busied himself with preparing breakfast. 

“ Whether we shall dine to-night in the palace or not,” 
said Strong, “ I do not know. But we will trust to luck. 
At least, we will make the most of our last fresh meat.” 
Again he pulled out his watch. It pointed to a quarter 
to six. 

Then he took out the wireless instrument once more 
and ticked; to his surprise he received an answer. 

“ Poor little Diana,” he said to himself, ‘‘ still up. 
At least, I have shaken His Majesty’s nerves a bit or 
they would not be on the lookout for signals.” 

He ticked the question: “Has His Majesty further 
reconsidered the matter.? ” 

There was a pause, and in his mind’s eye Strong 
could see Diana debating with her father. 


TO STEAL A THRONE 


123 


Then came the answer: “ No.” 

‘‘ I will wait five minutes,” Strong replied,' ‘‘ and if 
at the end of that time the King has not reconsidered 
his decision the bombardment will begin.” 

There was another pause, and then came the answer 
quick and pat : “ There will be no reconsideration.” 

Strong sat with his watch in his hand and waited 
till the clocks in the town below struck the hour of 
six. 

The airship was lying so near to the town that its 
appearance had been noted by men on their way to work. 
They had called other men; and women, who always 
flock to behold what men look at, came running into the 
streets. Glancing over the side. Strong saw that the 
Grand Avenue was thick with people, as though the hour 
were high noon instead of six in the morning. His face 
had grown very white and his manner formal. 

“ Gentlemen,” Strong said to the men in the Victor,” 

this is a bad business. My conscience holds me back ; 
my pride bids me go on. My conscience has never yet 
stood in the way of my pride. I shall continue.” He 
paused, and then said curtly, But the first blood shall 
be shed by me. If we must lay murder to our charge, 
at least I will be the chief criminal.” 

He turned to Langley. “ Get down above the station 
and follow the line of the main street.” 

The other men in the airship looked at one another. 
They had known all along that the shedding of men’s 
blood must be the outcome of their journey, but while 
the prospect of this had been distant from them, they 
had set the matter on one side. Now they were face to 
face with the problem. 

Langley, with a haggard face, set the Victor ” 
above the station and turned the airship about. 

“ Slowly, if you please,” said Strong. 

Langley nodded, and the sweat dropped from the 
dead-white flesh above his temples. 


lU HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


When they were above the Grand Avenue Strong 
picked up one of the little shells that were the size of 
a man’s fist, leaned over the side of the “ Victor,” and 
deliberately dropped it. He dropped it dead into the 
street, opposite the doors of a bank. 

It fell like a stone. The crash, ascending, almost 
deafened them as the shell struck the asphalt paving of 
the street. Then it seemed as though the little cloud 
of smoke which arose contained a hell >pf shrieking 
humanity. 

Strong raised his hand. Stop her,” he cried. 

The men in the “ Victor ” craned over the side and 
with white faces waited for the smoke to clear away. 
There were awful noises in the street beneath them. 
The force of the explosion had torn away the face of 
the bank, which fell outwards in a deadly hail upon the 
people in the road below. The smoke cleared away still 
more and drifted lazily up to the airship. The morning 
was bright, and the sun shone full upon the white asphalt 
beneath them, and upon the white asphalt lay hideously 
mangled bodies. 

Strong looked up the length of the street and saw 
a small section of the crowd rush down to the spot where 
the explosion had taken place. Elsewhere the crowd 
had vanished, but a dozen heads were thrust from nearly 
every window. 

The cloud of smoke drifted entirely away, and there 
was a complete silence, except for the screams of the 
wounded beneath them. 

“ Great God ! ” cried Strong. Then he shook himself, 
and the blood surged back to his face. 

‘‘Not my fault — not my fault,” he said to himself 
fiercely. “ O God ! Thou knowest that I cannot help 
these things.” 

Then he looked along the airship and picked up the 
eyes of each man. 


TO STEAL A THRONE 


125 


“ I presume,” he said, almost coldly, “ that you will 
continue what I have begun? ” 

The men who met his eyes nodded. 

“ Then get up the hill,” said Strong, turning to 
Langley, and stop over the palace. The King has a 
full view of the city from his window, and if he sees we 
are in earnest he may relent. If not — then Heaven 
help Romberg.” 

In silence Langley put the ‘‘ Victor ” under way, 
and fetched up above the palace. 

Strong busied himself with the wireless instrument. 

Have you had enough ? ” he asked. 

There was a pause. The answer was “ No.” 

Beads of perspiration stood out on Strong’s forehead. 

“ Heaven forgive me,” he said, “ for making that 
girl hold such a parley as this.” But again the blood 
came back to his face and he set his mouth. His jaw 
stood out like a rock. “ A hundred yards east,” he 
said crisply to Langley, “ to the barracks of the 
Guards. Put the ‘ Victor ’ over there. I will not 
destroy women if I can help it.” 

Then Arbuthnot broke silence. ‘‘ At present,” he 
said, ‘‘ I think no women have suffered.” 

Strong looked at him almost gratefully. 

I hope so, at least,” he said. “ I picked on the 
clearest spot I could.” 

They were now over the barracks. 

“ One of us is enough for this business,” said Strong, 

and I will attend to it myself.” 

He took a shell in either hand and leaned over the 
side of the car. He let them fall from his hands. 

Once more there came up a great cloud of smoke and 
the screams of wounded men. 

By now Strong’s face was that of a sphinx. He 
took up shell after shell and let them drop without pity 
and without remorse on to the building beneath him. 


126 HE CONQUERED THE I^AISER 


The way might be rough, but it was the way to the 
millennium. In five minutes it was a mass of blazing 
debris. 

From the “ Victor ” they could see men crawling out 
from the ruins — men who dragged and trailed shattered 
limbs after them — men who lifted up their faces to the 
“ Victor ” and raised their hands and shook their fists. 
They could hear curses shrieked at them from below. 
Half a dozen horses broke from the stables and careered 
up the street and tore madly past the palace. 

Then Strong beheld a sight that made his heart stand 
still for so long that he felt his legs giving way beneath 
him. The King was on the balcony of the palace gazing 
upward through his glasses. Diana, pale as death, but 
quite quiet, sat beside him with the wireless instrument 
upon her knees. She was waiting for a message from 
him. Strong whipped out his own instrument and 
ticked a message. Then looking over the side again he 
saw a battery of artillery galloping into the city from 
one of the suburbs. 

‘‘ Fifteen hundred feet,” he said to Langley. 

And the “ Victor ” moved up. 

Strong maneuvered the airship until she was over the 
western wing of the palace. 

Then he ticked out a further ultimatum. 

“Will His Majesty of Balkania condescend to hold 
parley with me? ” 

To his astonishment the answer was still “ No.” 

Strong replied : “ I shall destroy the west wing of 
the palace.” 

The answer was: “You dare not.” 

Strong’s answer to that challenge was instantaneous. 
He took another shell, which fell from his hand straight 
through the roof of the palace’s western wing. 

Then he ticked, “ And now? ” 

“ His Majesty will parley if Mr. Strong will con- 
descend to call.” 


TO STEAL A THRONE 


127 


There was mockery even in this admission of defeat. 
The irony of it roused Strong. 

“ There will be no parley,” he rapped out, “ unless 
the King meets me at the tea-house on the Morning Hills 
at noon.” 

“ That is impossible,” was the answer. 

“ I pledge my word as a gentleman,” said Strong, 
‘‘ to respect His Majesty’s safety and to allow him, 
whatever the result of the interview, to return without 
harm to the palace at Romberg.” 

The answer was : “ It cannot be done.” 

Strong took another shell and let it fall into the 
ruins of the already demolished wing of the palace. 

He waited with one eye trained upon the little glass 
slide of the instrument. 

There came the answer which he expected: 

‘‘ The King agrees — the tea-house on the Morning 
Hills at noon.” 

For Strong the hours that passed were long and 
heavy. They had put out over the Morning Hills, and 
the city was too far distant for them to observe its life. 
Strong was in no mind to go back and witness the pos- 
sibilities of an action which he was unable to enter into. 
So the morning was dragged through, and when noon 
came Strong had grown irritable, and, for him, ill at 
ease. 

Shortly before twelve o’clock his spirits rose again. 
He could see, climbing up the long winding hill from 
the city, a speck that he guessed, rightly enough, was 
the King of Balkania’s motor car. The speck on the 
distant road grew in size, and the shape of the car be- 
came quite plain to the watchers in the airship. With 
a grimace Strong noted that Ludwig was at the steer- 
ing-wheel. 

“ Why on earth a man like the King should care to 
trot about such a criminal fool as Ludwig passes my 
understanding,” Strong said. 


128 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Langley had lost his temper. There had risen sud- 
denly in his mind the thought that Strong was not 
merely unjust, but ungrateful. 

“ Even fools,” he said shortly, “ have their uses.” 

What do you mean ? ” demanded Strong. He knew 
perfectly well, and anticipated the answer that Langley 
gave. 

‘‘ There is myself,” snapped Langley. 

The car came up the hill at a good speed, and at a 
hundred yards or so beyond the tea-house stopped dead. 
In the tonneau was an oiSScer of the Guard. Strong 
picked up the glasses and looked keenly about him. 
He knew quite enough of the King to suspect treachery, 
and his suspicions were correct, only they were a little 
premature, for, at that moment, nothing showed either 
on the plain beneath him or on the horizon that could 
give him any cause for thought. With a more satisfied 
air he turned to Langley. 

‘‘ Now,” he said, “ for the hard high road.” And 
Langley, without a word, put the “ Victor ” down and 
brought her gently to a standstill. 

Strong climbed over the side of the little airship, 
and walked towards the car in which the King awaited 
his approach. Apparently from some motive of cour- 
tesy His Majesty descended and walked down the road 
to meet Strong. A few occupants of the tea-house were 
standing along the parapet of the terrace gazing, open- 
mouthed, at the extraordinary spectacle before them. 

As the two men drew near together they lifted their 
hats. The King by this time had for Strong a respect 
that was born of dread. Strong had that respect for 
the King which a man has for an adversary whom he has 
not yet beaten. The King was the first to speak, and his 
smile was pleasant and his manner calm. 

“ This is the first time in my life, Mr. Strong,” he 
said, “ that I have ever been dictated to by any man.” 

Strong waved his hand as though to brush such 


TO STEAL A THRONE 


1^9 


trivialities of discussion aside. ‘‘ I have come,” he said, 

to demand in person Your Majesty’s abdication, and 
the assurance that I myself shall, before to-morrow, 
reign in your stead.” 

The King shrugged his shoulders. 

“ Unfortunately,” he answered, and his tone was a 
trifle sarcastic, though the sarcasm was at his own ex- 
pense, “ kings cannot settle the affairs of their countries 
as they please. I represent the affairs of a nation, and 
it is for the nation, I presume, to decide such a matter 
as that.” 

‘‘ Very modest of Your Majesty,” said Strong, but 
your argument is mere sophistry. You know perfectly 
well that the matter rests entirely in your own hands.” 

“ So you say,” said the King. 

I not only say it, but I am prepared to deal with 
you on these lines. If you do not capitulate here and 
now, I shall reduce Romberg to ashes before this 
evening.” 

The King pushed out his under lip with his tongue. 
It was the surest sign that he was obstinate. 

“ Mr. Strong,” he said, ‘‘ I am, I admit, at your 
mercy. It is possible, of course, that you may lay 
violent hands on me here, and your companions could 
certainly very easily demolish my motor ca^r and my 
party within a very few seconds. But is that worth the 
risk.? No matter,” he continued, “what you acliieve 
afterwards, this would be such a murder as would always 
be remembered against you. It would entirely destroy 
all your chances of permanent success, even if you 
achieved your immediate object.” 

“ I am perfectly aware of that,” said Strong, “ and 
I can only regard your suggestion as insulting. I have 
already given you my word that Your Majesty will leave 
this place in perfect safety. You have, so far as your 
person is now concerned, nothing to fear from me.” 

“ As a matter of fact,” said the King, with a rather 


130 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


tired sigh, “ I don’t care whether I have or whether I 
have not. The whole thing is becoming rather weari- 
some.” 

Strong’s eyes brightened. You are admitting,” he 
said, “ that I am more troublesome than you had even 
dreamed I could be.” 

“ Yes,” said the King, that is perfectly true.” 

‘‘ But all this,” Strong burst out, ‘‘ is utterly beside 
the point. I am simply asking you now, by word of 
mouth, what I asked you by wireless telegraph this 
morning. Will you abdicate or will you not.^^ You 
have simply to say ^ Yes ’ or ‘ No.’ The course of con- 
duct which I shall map out for myself depends upon 
your answer.” 

“ Then the answer,” said the King, “ is ^ No.’ It is 
^ No ’ now, just as it was this morning, just as it will be 
to-night, and just as it will be to-morrow.” 

“ If,” said Strong, grimly, “ to-morrow dawns for you 
again.” 

The King shrugged his shoulders. ‘‘ That,” said he, 

is perfectly immaterial,” 

It should not be,” said Strong. “ You have a 
(daughter.” 

The King winced. 

Yes,” said Strong, with cruel softness, “ it is 
through your daughter that I shall defeat you.” 

The King opened his mouth and his face was ugly 
to look at. There was an insult on his lips, but he for- 
bore to speak. He remained standing in grim silence. 

“Yes,” continued Strong, now in a quite casual 
mood; ‘Hhe subject may be distasteful to you, but 
Princess Diana is more to me than the Kingdom of 
Bomherg, and more to me than the Kingdom of the 
Earth. Even now,” he went on, “ I am prepared to 
make you a perfectly fair offer. I will allow you for the 
term of your natural life to continue the control of 
Bomberg’s destinies, but at your death I intend to sue- 


TO STEAL A THRONE 


ISl 


ceed you, and my consort will be the Princess Diana.’^ 

Said the King, ‘‘ You make an entire mistake.” For 
a moment he was shaken out of his customary calm. 

Understand me quite clearly,” he continued, his voice 
full of passion, ‘‘ that on that point I am adamant. 
You may do what you like with me; you may do what 
you like with the city ; you may do what you like with 
the country ; you may kill me if you choose — that is a 
matter of no moment to me at all ; but I warrant you 
this, that if you destroy me you shall also destroy the 
princess. The King is obeyed even when he is dead, 
and I will see to it that the Princess Diana shall never 
fall to the lot of an adventurer such as you.” 

This roused Strong to anger. ‘‘ That is a matter,’^ 
he said, ‘‘ which simply pits my brain against yours. 
If you have absolutely made up your mind, there is 
nothing more to be said. I am not in honor bound ta 
respect your safety after you have reached the confines 
of the city, and by this afternoon I will raise more hell 
about you than even your own particularly fiendish 
mind could possibly conceive.” 

Again the King shrugged his shoulders and spread 
out his hands in that Continental manner which par- 
ticularly aggravated Strong. 

‘‘ Is that all? ” asked His Majesty. 

‘‘ Absolutely all,” said Strong. 

“ Then,” said the King, “ I have the honor to wish 
you good-morning, and to request you to do your 
worst.” 

He turned without so much as a salute and strolled 
towards his car. Ludwig sat over the steering-wheel, 
pale and bent, his nervous feet shuffling as was their 
wont. 

Strong watched them go. He watched every move- 
ment of the King with care. He read in his back the 
aspect of an obstinate man. 

He watched the King climb into the car, which had 


132 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


already been turned about. The motor car shot for- 
ward, and Strong watched it growing small as it slid 
down the hill. 

He stood dreaming, but his dream was of short 
duration, for close over his head he heard a screech-like 
whistle that caused him to look up. Something passed 
over him at such a speed that he could not follow its 
passage. About a hundred yards or so down the moun- 
tain-side there came the noise of a great explosion. 
Then came another long-drawn whistling noise, and 
Strong realized in a flash that he was under shell-fire. 
He gathered himself together and raced for the “ Vic- 
tor.” And all the way he cursed softly to himself. He 
had run short of breath and short of invective when he 
gained the “ Victor.” He climbed over the side with a 
face that frightened Langley. It frightened him more 
than the shells, which were now whistling about them. 
Langley needed no word from Strong ; he put the “ Vic- 
tor ” up. There was a pause in the firing. Apparently 
the gunners were choosing a fresh range; then, for a 
second or so, the shells whistled below the hull. But 
the “ Victor ” had risen to such a height that no shell- 
fire could reach them. 

Strong steadied the airship and searched the country 
with his glasses. A battery of field artillery was posted 
on the ridge of the Morning Hills about a mile above 
the tea-house. He scrutinized the position closely, and 
began to swear again beneath his breath. He finished 
up by saying: “ The dirtiest piece of work I ever hope to 
know ! I will wipe them out.” 

“ It’s not their fault,” urged Langley. “ If you gQ 
tilting against the earth, you must expect to get some 
knocks.” 

“ The people who give me knocks,” cried Strong, 
will be knocked back. "What I am about to do is 
more in the shape of a moral lesson than because of 
revenge.” 


TO STEAL A THRONE 


13S 


‘‘ Are you sure? ” said Langley. 

Strong made no answer. 

They kept the “ Victor ” above the range of the guns 
and made for the battery posted on the hill. The 
officer in command was watching the airship with the 
aid of a pair of glasses that hovered nervously in his 
agitated hands. From the airship Strong could see the 
artillerymen below him limbering up and the horses being 
hitched to. But he was over them before they had time 
to make a start. He sat by the edge of the airship and 
directed its movements. Then he picked up a couple 
of shells and dropped them. 

The effect of the explosion was awful. One shell fell 
straight through a gun-carriage and sent the pieces 
flying. Men torn to shreds, and mangled horses, 
strewed the ground. Strong dropped another shell and 
another. Three shells sufficed to wipe the battery out. 

“ Now,” shouted Strong, “ we will leave them to what 
peace they can enjoy — and we will make for Aero.” 

Langley fetched the airship round and put her on 
her top speed. The “ Victor ” raced along for about 
five minutes, until Strong gave a yell and called on 
Langley to hold hard. 

Langley, with wonder in his eyes, brought the “ Vic- 
tor ” to a standstill. 

Strong’s face was passionate and scarlet. 

“ You may preach caution as much as you like, Lang- 
ley,” he said, “ but caution and I part here. If the 
‘ Victor ’ will not let us steal the earth to-night — no 
matter. I have a better plan. I will steal Diana.” 

He jumped to the wheel himself, put the airship 
about, and went racing back to the Morning Hills, 
Far beneath them on the long white, dusty road they 
could see the King’s motor car making for the city. 

“ You brute ! ” yelled Strong, cursing the King below 
him. ‘‘ I will suffer at your hands no more.” 

The wind stung his face like hail as he set the “ Vic- 


134 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


tor ” at two hundred miles an hour in the direction of 
the palace. 

Pelham, hanging over the side, called out to Strong: 

They have seen us, and are putting on full speed.” 

“ Let them do their best ! ” shouted Strong, who was 
now almost beside himself with rage, “ but they will 
have to be quick if they out-distance us.” 

So great was the pace at which they were traveling 
that the incidents which next befell them occupied but 
a few seconds. Romberg rushed up at them, and the 
city was full of hubbub. They could hear the crisp 
notes of bugles and, in spite of the rushing of the wind, 
the sound of tramping feet. Between the houses they 
could see regiment after regiment marching up the hill 
to the palace, and, while the regiments marched, the 
children ran with the soldiers, shouting. Women were 
screaming things in high-pitched voices and men yelled 
curses as they passed. 

Strong paid not the slightest heed to the tumult 
beneath him. One quick glance he flung behind him, and 
saw he had now outpaced the King’s car. 

From the bow of the “ Victor ” Pelham called that 
the sentries of the palace had observed them, and that 
the guard had been called out. The “ Victor ” dropped 
like a stone for a thousand feet or so, and then Strong 
stopped her downward course so quickly that Pelham 
was vilely sick. 

On the balcony above the great doorway Strong 
could see Diana leaning against the parapet and stoop- 
ing towards the city. The wide main thoroughfare was 
blocked with people, but through the press, steadily 
marching up the hill, came regiment after regiment. 
Again Strong put the “ Victor ” down, bringing her to 
a level with the balcony. 

Diana stepped back, pressing her hand against her 
heart. 


TO STEAL A THRONE 


135 


Strong called to the men to hang out the fender, and 
then, very swiftly and deftly, he put the “ Victor ” 
alongside the balcony on which Diana stood quite alone. 


CHAPTER X 


KIDNAPING A PRINCESS 

As the “ Victor ” grated along the balcony Diana again 
stepped back still further. Then she came forward 
again. She pointed with shaking finger down the long 
main street. 

‘‘ What does it all moan ? ” she whispered. 

“ I haven’t time to explain now,” said Strong, 
shortly. I have returned to ask you to go with me to 
Aero.” 

‘‘ I refuse,” said Diana. 

“ Dearest,” cried Strong, moving towards her and 
holding out his hands, “ you had better come with me 
before it is too late.” 

Diana drew her own hands behind her back. “ What 
do you mean ? ” she demanded. 

“ I mean that you hate bloodshed as much as I do, 
and if you wish to avoid it, you will come with me.” 

Diana still looked at him with puzzled eyes. “ That 
is no explanation,” she said. 

“ And this,” said Strong, hotly, is no time for 
explanation. I tell you that it is a matter of a few 
minutes. Your father, with his car, is already in the 
town, and if I am not gone before he arrives, it is a ques- 
tion of his life or mine.” 

“ That,” said Diana, quietly, “ is a matter for you 
and my father to decide. It does not concern me.” 

Strong grew impatient and ceased to plead, even to 
argue. 

“ I must ask you to get into the ‘ Victor,’ ” he said. 

136 


KIDNAPING A PRINCESS 


13T 


Diana shook her head and the color flamed in her 
cheeks. “ I shall do nothing of the kind,” she cried. 
“ My duty lies here.” 

Strong leaned as far over the parapet as he dared, and 
looked to the right, and now he could see the King’s 
motor car coming at full speed up the hill. It was only 
a question of seconds. Once more he turned to Diana, 
and there was pleading in his voice. 

“ If you still refuse to go with me,” he said, ‘‘ it may 
possibly cost me my life.” 

“ what is that to me.^ ” cried Diana. But her eyes 
gave her words the lie. 

Then Strong made up his mind. He stooped, caught 
Diana in his arms and lifted her up. For a second 
only he was conscious of any movement of her body in 
his grasp. When Diana felt the strength of him she 
knew that it was of no avail to struggle. 

He carried her over to the ‘‘ Victor,” and still holding 
her in his arms, climbed into the airship. 

“ Get up,” he yelled to Langley, and he set Diana 
gently down on the seat in the “ Victor’s ” well. 

Ludwig brought the motor car into the palace square 
with a rush, and pulled up short beside the cluster of 
ofl5cers. Strong even at that moment snatched a second 
in which to observe that the King’s face was livid. 

His Majesty leaped from the car and shouted an 
order to the officer in command of the troops in the 
square. There was a ripple of movement and a rattle 
of steel as a hundred rifle-butts were brought up to a 
hundred shoulders. 

Meanwhile the Victor ” was rushing upwards. 

There was a sheet of flame in the palace square, and 
bullets whistled round and even through the airship. 
Then she went up beyond the range of the gun-fire. 
Langley set her head for Aero, and then looked round 
at Strong. He was in no mind to sit by and hear any 
conversation between him and the princess. 


138 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Strong caught his meaning and went over and took 
the wheel. The other men, by some common instinct, 
went forward and crouched in the “ Victor’s ” bows. 

Some twenty minutes went by, and the icy peaks of 
the Ring of Nissa were already looming up in the mist 
before them, when Diana spoke to Strong; and her 
voice was dry and hard. 

‘‘ You really mean to take me to Aero.? ” 

Strong turned and nodded his head. 

“ It is an outrage,” she cried, “ an outrage which I 
greatly resent, and one which is hardly likely to bring 
you any good.” 

Strong stopped the ‘‘ Victor.” He then turned about 
again and sat himself beside her. 

‘‘ Listen, dear heart,” he said, “ while I tell you 
something. Chivalry, I suppose, should keep me silent, 
but I am not feeling particularly chivalrous at the 
present time. I regret,” he went on, ‘‘ I regret very 
much to be forced to tell you what I am about to say. 
But it seems to be the only method by which I can alter 
your mind. I shall always be sorry,” he continued, 
‘‘ that I was compelled to inform you that your father 
is a dishonorable man — but he is dishonorable to the 
point of murder. 

“ As you know, I gave him my word if he would only 
meet me in the Morning Hills and discuss matters, that 
I would guarantee his safety. He also gave me his 
word that no harm should happen to me. I kept to my 
part of the bargain ; but he, if you please, orders up 
a battery of artillery, posts them on the hills above us, 
and when I leave him, starts pounding away at me with 
shells. I don’t call that honorable — indeed, I call it 
dishonorable to a degree.” 

“ Is that true? ” asked Diana. 

‘‘ I give you my word,” said Strong, “ that it is 
absolutely true.” 

Diana sat in silence with stony face. 


KIDNAPING A PRINCESS 139 

Strong put the “ Victor ” racing on again, and in 
half an hour they dropped into the shades of Aero. 

Wildney was waiting for them, and he raised his eye- 
brows as he saw the figure of the girl in the car ; but to 
Strong he said nothing at all. He looked into Strong’s 
face and dared not. 

When Strong spoke to Diana next his manner was 
formal. 

“ I trust that it will not be necessary to detain you 
here for long,” he said. “ Meantime I would suggest. 
Princess, that it would be better if we were to hold a 
little council of war, or, let us say, a friendly chat, as to 
what had best be done.” 

He led the way to the tent which had been occupied 
by Miss Hunt and bowed Diana in. 

When the princess entered the tent she looked about 
her with quick, curious glances, and Strong smiled at 
her perplexity. 

“ I am afraid,” he said, ‘‘ that there are no chairs, 
not even a couch to offer you. Since we have been here 
we have got in the habit of sitting on piles of rugs.” 
He stooped, folded up three or four rugs, and placed 
them in a heap. 

“ A poor throne,” he said, to honor the princess, 
but it is the only throne I have — at present.” 

Diana had by this time lost some of her curtness of 
manner; she even smiled in a way that led Strong to 
hope she might, to some extent, enter into the spirit of 
the time. Nor was he disappointed. 

“ And now, Your Majesty,” she said, with a laugh 
and a shrug of her shoulders, ‘‘ what do you propose to 
do with your captive.? ” 

“ There are several things,” said Strong, which I 
don’t propose to do, and I will explain them to you at 
once. First of all, I should count it mean on my part 
to hold you as hostage. I shall also refrain to the ut- 
most of my power from bringing pressure to bear on you 


140 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


in any way. Also, as soon as we have discussed mat- 
ters, I will promise to take you back to Romberg as 
soon as ever you please. 

“ In the meantime,” he continued, I look upon you 
as a counsel — a counsel endowed with considerable 
wisdom, and I shall feel grateful for your advice.” 

“ I cannot give you advice,” said Diana, ‘‘ until I 
know what you propose to do. If you will tell me your 
immediate plans, I shall be glad to criticise them. 
Criticism,” she added, with a little laugh, ‘‘ is one of my 
foibles.” 

Strong thought for a few moments, then took her 
hand. I think it will be best,” he said, “ if I begin 
by telling you my own idea. It is this : 

“ I shall return to Romberg this afternoon to take 
the town by storm. Your father must see that it is 
hopeless to hold out. If he refuses to capitulate 
decently and abdicate in my favor, then I shall lay the 
city in ashes round about him.” 

“ Is that all ? ” asked Diana. 

“ Then, having secured the city of Romberg,” Strong 
went on, imperturbably, “ I shall capture the entire 
State. Following that, I shall immediately proceed to 
build several other airships similar to the ‘ Victor.’ 
The world will then be mine.” 

If,” said Diana, slowly — so slowly that her words 
sank into Strong’s mind one by one — “ if you pursue 
that course — even if you gain the whole earth — you 
will never win me.” 

“ And why.? ” 

“ Recause it is simply a course of wholesale murder, 
and I decline to have my name handed down to future 
generations as a murderess.” 

Strong shut his jaws. The ominous lines of his 
mouth widened and deepened. The blood leaped into 
his face, and then receded from it, leaving it ashen. 

“ Princess,” he said, and he spoke almost as slowly 


KIDNAPING A PRINCESS 


141 


as she had done, ‘‘ believe me that I would not embark 
on such a course if there were any other way.” He 
paused and looked at her rather sadly. 

Two bright spots of color flamed in Diana’s cheeks. 

You are a strong man,” she said, ‘‘ but you are a fool.’^ 

A shrug of Strong’s shoulders answered the remark. 

Has it not occurred to you,” she cried, ‘‘ that you 
might easily achieve with diplomacy what you now pro- 
pose to secure by force ” 

“ In what way ? ” 

“ You have given ample proof,” said Diana, of 
your powers. If I am not very much mistaken, the 
world by to-morrow morning will be scared as it has 
seldom been scared before. And after what you have 
told me,” she went on, ‘‘ I should be as glad as you 
would be to see my father robbed of his throne. Believe 
me, consideration for him no longer holds me back. I 
even think,” she went on, almost gently, “ that with a 
little guidance you might prove a just and good king.” 

“ And your suggestion.'* ” asked Strong. 

My suggestion is that you should, either direct 
from Aero or through the medium of the DaUy Wireless, 
make proposals to Europe. You should demand the 
abdication of my father and the placing of yourself as 
the head of Balkania. It would surely be possible for 
you,” she continued, “ to oflPer him certain advantages 
which would leave you in possession of your new-found 
kingdom and the rest of the world at peace.” 

“ You forget, I think,” said Strong, irritably, that 
I have yet to fulfill my boast that I shall steal the 
world.” 

Diana leaned towards him and placed her hand on 
his arm. “ If,” she said, “ you are determined to carry 
out that threat, then I decline any longer to have any 
dealings with you. If, however, you will compromise, 
I will help you in every way I can.” 

‘‘ A compromise,” said Strong, “ is a compromise. 


14^ HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


A compromise means to give and take. If I promise 
to give up my theft — if I surrender my idea of uni- 
versal theft — will you give me yourself? ” 

« Yes,” said Diana, “ I wiU.” 

Strong took her hands. “ And if I fail in these 
negotiations,” he asked, “what then? If I fail, you 
must remember that I shall be forced to fight for my 
life — that it will not be a question of even desiring 
conquest, but an absolute necessity of achieving con- 
quest in order to secure my existence. If I fail, I shall 
become an outlaw throughout the length and breadth of 
the world.” 

“ I trust to your honor,” said Diana, “ to do the best 
you can — to do the best you can, and still fail. Then 
I will be an outlaw with you.” 

Strong laughed and caught her to him. “ Even if 
I have to steal the earth ? ” he asked. 

“ Even if you have to steal the earth.” 

At eleven o’clock at night Strong picked up Miss 
Hunt, who was still at Budapest, by wireless, and soon it 
became apparent there was something very much amiss. 

In brief. Miss Hunt told him she had received an 
urgent message from the editor of the Daily Wireless, 
saying he must decline to be any further a party to 
Strong’s proceedings, unless he had definite assurance 
that his actions would not imperil England’s peace. 

Strong made up his mind on the instant. He would 
go to London himself and settle this matter with the 
editor of the Wireless once and for all. It would take 
time, but in the end it would be the quickest way. He 
ticked his decision to Miss Hunt and went back to 
Diana by the fire. 

At noon on the following day, therefore. Strong 
started in the “ Di ” with Langley. He judged it better 
to take him than any of the other men, for the simple 
reason that considerable knowledge of the airship’s 


KIDNAPING A PRINCESS 


143 


meclianism would be necessary to effect a safe landing 
on the Thames. 

It was nightfall when Langley dropped the little 
craft down by the bungalow at Cookham, and Strong 
set out to walk to Maidenhead, whence he traveled 
up to town by train. 

When he reached the office of the Daily Wireless 
Strong was in a slight dilemma. He was fearful to give 
his name lest his presence in London should become 
known. He therefore scribbled a private note to Mr. 
Sharp, explaining the reason for his return. 

Though resolutely determined not to be astonished 
at any tiling, Mr. Sharp nearly jumped out of his chair 
when he received Strong’s note. He told the com- 
missionaire to show him up at once. 

When Strong entered the room, Mr. Sharp went 
over to meet him and shook hands warmly. 

‘‘ Really,” he said, ‘‘ you are the most surprising 
thing I have ever known in the course of a long experi- 
ence of surprising events. You see you make it foolish 
for me to ask you whether you have dropped from the 
sky, because I know you have.” 

Strong laughed and sat down. 

‘‘ Look here, Mr. Sharp,” he said, my visit must of 
necessity be short. If I fail to catch the last train 
back to Maidenhead I shall never get clear of England 
to-night, so we have only twenty minutes in which to 
discuss this business.” 

Mr. Sharp nodded his head and waited for Strong 
to continue. 

“ I suppose,” Strong said, ‘‘ that you have got news 
of our doings at Romberg, and also of what I suppose 
I might term the theft of Princess Diana? ” 

Again Mr. Sharp nodded. 

“Now I may tell you that the princess is extremely 
angry at what I have done — or, rather, was extremely 


lU HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


angry — and upon her advice I am going to adopt a 
policy of conciliation towards the earth. 

“ She suggests I can achieve by diplomacy what I 
proposed before to achieve by force. She hopes that 
by bringing a little gentle pressure to bear upon the 
Powers, I can secure the abdication of the King of 
Ralkania and the guarantee that I shall reign in his 
stead.” 

“ One thing I can tell you,” said Mr. Sharp, and 
that is this — that you have simply frightened the 
whole world out of its wits. No man knows what is 
coming next. We have received several excited emis- 
saries from the Government during the day who have 
practically demanded that we shall deliver you up to 
them. For some extraordinary reason, they seem to 
think I keep you in my pocket. I have assured them 
that the matter is entirely the reverse, but they refuse 
to be convinced. 

‘‘ They have warned me very solemnly,” Mr. Sharp 
went on, “ that, if by any means I drag this country 
into the turmoil in which Europe has already been 
plunged, I shall have to suffer for it dearly. The 
matter, indeed, is most serious, and therefore, to pro- 
tect myself and the interests of the paper, I was com- 
pelled to refuse to receive further messages from you. 
And I must continue to do so unless you can assure me 
positively that you will not bring any harm upon this 
country.” 

‘‘ Mr. Sharp,” said Strong, rather abruptly, “ I have 
already given you my word on that score, and I have 
no intention of breaking my bond. I can only assure 
you of my good intentions again, and ask you to print 
the document which I have already drawn up. You 
will see when you have read it that it covers the whole 
ground and absolutely exculpates you from all possible 
blame. It is short, but it is to the point.” 


KIDNAPING A PRINCESS 


145 


He laid the document on the desk, and Mr. Sharp’s 
eyes almost bulged out of his head as he read it. It 
ran as follows : — 


Aero, Sept. 4th. 

I, John Strong, hereby declare that the Daily 
Wireless is merely chosen as a medium through which 
I can communicate with the world. The proprietors 
and editor of that paper have nothing whatsoever to do 
with me, and do not control my actions in any way. 

I have no quarrel with the earth, although it is 
my intention to be master of it. My immediate quarrel 
is with the King of Balkania, the hand of whose daugh- 
ter I seek in marriage. I have called upon Plis Maj- 
esty to abdicate in my favor, but he has refused. 
Hence my initial bombardment of the city and my re- 
moval of the princess from His Majesty’s care. 

If the Powers of Europe — Great Britain being 
EXCEPTED FROM THIS BUSINESS — choose to bring such 
pressure to bear on His Majesty as shall result in the 
achievement of my ambition, I will undertake to leave 
the world otherwise undisturbed. 

I am willing to do this because, should such an 
arrangement be possible, the princess has promised to 
share the kingdom of Balkania with me. And tliis I 
consider more than compensation for the surrender of 
my desire to steal the earth. 

The princess, indeed, has counseled me to adopt a 
course of diplomacy rather than a course of bloodshed, 
and if the Powers of Europe can be persuaded to meet 
me on this matter, I shall be entirely satisfied. 

I will allow the Powers of Europe forty-eight hours 
in which to come to a decision. If at the end of that 
time the answer is unfavorable to me, I shall at once 
proceed to take action. I will not after the lapse of 
time which I allow take such drastic measures which 


146 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


would result in wide-spread misery. I will confine my- 
self at first to a demonstration of my ability to achieve 
my own ends. 

Failing, therefore, a favorable reply, I shall, on the 
morning of September 7 — to be precise, at high noon 
‘ — raid and remove from Monte Carlo the sum of 
£50,000 from the Casino. 

I desire it to be understood most clearly that neither 
at the present moment nor at any time in the future 
will Great Britain or her possessions be in any way 
interfered with by myself. Nor will I even treat with 
the other Great Powers, including the United States 
of America, unless they agree to leave Great Britain out 
of this affair. 

As it is necessary for me to have an Ambassador 
and a mouthpiece through which I can communicate 
with the various Powers, I hereby appoint the Editor 
of the Daily Wireless my Ambassador. 

(Signed) John Strong. 

When he had finished reading this amazing document, 
the editor of the Daily Wireless leaned hack in his chair 
and whistled. 

“ Very well,” said Mr. Sharp, after a considerable 
pause, “ I will print this.” 

‘‘ Then I will be off,” said Strong, “ as I have to 
catch my train. Now I have only to ask you one thing 
more. Provided that there is every evidence to show 
that this country will not be embroiled by my actions, 
will you continue to print my edicts ? ” 

‘‘ You seem pretty sure,” said the editor, “ that you 
will be in a position to scatter edicts broadcast.” 

. “ In a few days,” said Strong, quietly, ‘‘ the world 
will be anxiously waiting to hear what I instruct it to 
do next.” 

The editor could find nothing to say. There was, 
indeed, northing to be said. A week before he would 


KIDNAPING A PRINCESS 


147 


have imagined he was dealing with a lunatic, but actual 
facts now precluded an opinion such as that. 

He merely shook hands and watched Strong walk 
quickly out of the room. 

Strong caught his last train to Maidenhead, picked 
up Langley by the Bungalow, and started in a blithe 
mood for Aero. 

On the return journey he turned things over in his 
mind, and if he were determined honorably to abide 
by his compact with Diana he was none the less secretly 
convinced that a policy of conciliation and diplomacy 
must fail. 

He foresaw perfectly well that the great Powers of 
Europe were hardly likely to be coerced into bringing 
pressure to bear upon one poor little state because it 
was threatened by a danger which did not affect them 
up to then, and they might reasonably suppose was not 
of any grave importance. 

He judged that they might possibly make a naval 
demonstration off Monte Carlo, but even of this he was 
doubtful. 

At midday he was back in Aero. 

But while he was still sailing high over middle Eu- 
rope the deluge came. From Petrograd to Cape St. 
Vincent, and from Brest to Constantinople, his procla- 
mation was denounced as the grossest piece of folly 
and the grossest piece of impertinence of any age. 

At Bomberg the King ground his teeth, and an 
anxiety which he could not fight off slowly but surely 
took possession of him. H.e was conscious that his 
people murmured against him, that his authority had 
been lessened, and there was abroad a spirit of unrest 
which was already beginning to work his kingdom evil. 

Not that he had overmuch time for solitary thought. 
Strong’s impudent message was immediately cabled to 
every empire in Europe, and while Strong was hurrying 
back to Aero, diplomat after diplomat drove up the 


148 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


hill to the palace at Romberg to call upon His Majesty. 

The King saw the utter futility of endeavoring to 
deal with them in detail, and therefore appointed a time 
at which to meet them all. 

When, however, the representatives of the different 
Powers duly assembled in the Throne Room of the 
palace at Romberg, there was practically little to do 
except discuss the matter. It was obvious that, while 
the different Governments had been considerably dis- 
turbed, they still declined to take Strong and his me- 
teoric appearances and disappearances too seriously. 
Even the slaughter at Romberg and the theft of the 
princess were not sufficient to plunge them into any par- 
ticular alarm. 

The discussion which arose was more or less tentative 
in nature. For instance, it was put forward as a hy- 
pothesis by the French Minister that, should Strong 
continue to make himself a nuisance, and ultimately 
become a real peril to the earth, it might be necessary 
to consider the question of the King of Ralkania’s 
abdication as the price of peace. 

Rut to this the King of Ralkania returned an un- 
hesitating reply. He was prepared, he said, to see his 
city and his country laid in ruins ; he was prepared to 
suffer the united pressure of the Powers of Europe; but 
nothing short of superior force, he declared, should 
drag him from his throne. 


CHAPTER XI 


THE ROBBING OF MONTE CARLO 

At Aero Strong poured out to Diana the result of his 
interview with the editor of the Daily Wireless and the 
ultimatum which he had delivered to Europe. 

And Diana was content. She had forgiven Strong 
for taking her captive by force, and indeed had even 
come to believe that in the grim business on which he 
had set his heart she might be his good genius, and so 
save not only him but many people from great disaster 
and great misery. 

At midnight they picked up Miss Hunt in Vienna by 
wireless, and learned from her that the Austrian cap- 
ital, whither she had gone at Strong’s order, was seeth- 
ing with excitement ; but for this Strong cared little. 

Ticking back to Miss Hunt, he asked if there were 
as yet any news as to what steps were likely to be taken 
to frustrate him at Monte Carlo, but up to that hour 
there was no news of any projected campaign against 
the man who threatened to steal the earth. 

At six o’clock the next morning, when it was still 
dark in the crater. Strong prepared to start. 

When the “ Victor ” had jumped to 4000 feet Strong 
got out the little pocket-book in which he and Langley 
had laid out the various courses which they were likely 
to require when running between different points about 
the earth. He put the chart before Langley, who nod- 
ded, and brought the wheel over a couple of points. 

“ I love punctuality,” said Strong, ‘‘ but I think 
that 150 miles an hour should see us on the right side 
of time.” 


149 


150 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


The morning was bright and fresh and the “ Victor ” 
traveled well. The world rolled beneath them. It was 
as if they hung in space and watched the earth turning 
upon its axis. They were still ahead of their time, 
and crossed the Adriatic shortly before ten. 

Half an hour more and the blue of the Mediterra- 
nean, flecked with white where the waves broke, came 
into view beneath them. 

They swept along just to the north of Florence and 
steered their course for Monaco. And as they rapidly 
picked up with the rocky promontory Strong ordered 
a drop of a thousand feet. Then he brought the 

Victor ” to a standstill. 

In the bay there was quite a small armada. A care- 
ful scrutiny through the glasses revealed to Strong the 
fact that at least half the available ships of Toulon 
must be flying the tricolor of France beneath him. A 
battleship and three cruisers flew the colors of Italy. 
Spain had sent a couple of cruisers and a gun-boat. 
He breathed a little more freely as he saw that the white 
ensign of England’s navy was not flying down below. 

Strong knew well enough that the mixed fleet was to 
begin the attack. They would wait for him to give 
them an opportunity. He therefore ordered the ‘‘ Vic- 
tor ” a thousand yards above the battleships of France, 
and then, on his own instrument, picked up the wireless 
apparatus of the ships beneath him. 

“ Understand,” he ticked in the French code, ‘‘ that 
if there is so much as one shot fired from one of the 
vessels here assembled I shall immediately sink you. 
I will not have any interference with my landing at 
Monte Carlo.” 

The ship returned no answer. 

He then put the “ Di ” close aboard the “ Victor,” 
and gave Langley full instructions as to his duties. 

Without further ado he turned with the “ Victor ” 
in his wake and stood over Monaco. 


THE ROBBING OF MONTE CARLO 151 


He was near enough to the surface of the earth to 
witness the sensation which the appearance of the air- 
ships had caused. 

The Season had not yet begun, but still the hotels 
contained many guests, and these were gathered in the 
streets. 

To his surprise he saw that a regiment of French 
soldiers was drawn up before the palace. But he smiled 
as he saw in the Place du Palais the old and effete guns 
long ago presented to the Principality by Louis XIV. 

There was a vast crowd, still and very silent, on the 
steps of the cathedral. Before this Strong saw there 
was drawn up a regiment of the French line. 

Slowly he turned the Di ” about and made for 
Monte Carlo, and though the hotels were by no means 
full there were heads at almost every window of the 
Paris, the Grand and the Windsor. 

The streets, on the other hand, were strangely de- 
serted, though there were little knots of excitedly-talk- 
ing people at every door. To his relief, Strong ob- 
served that the terrace to the south of the Casino was 
quite deserted, nor was there any sign of life on the 
pigeon-shooting grounds on the other side. 

The “ Victor ” again drew near to the “ Di,” and 
Strong shouted further orders. 

Langley shouted back. ‘‘ Take care,” he called, 
“ that you are not ambushed. The Casino looks de- 
serted enough, but if those fellows below have any pluck 
there will be men inside.” 

Strong brought the Di ” a little nearer to the 
‘‘ Victor.” 

‘‘ If there are,” he said, ‘‘ we will rout them out. I 
myself will indulge in the first bombardment, and then 
I shall go down. If I do not come out of the Casino in 
five minutes you have your orders. Pound the town 
to ashes and then sink the warships.” 

And after that ? ” asked Langley. 


15S HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


“ After that,” said Strong, nothing matters. For 
me, it will be finished. Return to Aero, restore the 
princess to her father, and make the best peace you can 
with the world.” 

Langley nodded. 

Strong then put the “ Di ” down to within a couple of 
hundred feet above the Casino, and deliberately dropped 
a shell overboard. It split the roof in twain, and there 
rose up a hurricane of broken plaster and wood-work. 

Peering through the smoke, he could see half a dozen 
men dash down the Casino steps. They were French 
troops, and fully armed. 

He smiled rather grimly to himself, and once more 
ticked off a message on his wireless instrument. 

Briefly, in the French code, he informed the flagship 
of the French squadron of what had happened. He 
addressed himself to the Commodore of the French ships 
because he now realized that he was dealing, not with 
the authorities of Monaco, but with the French. 

Therefore he warned the Commodore that he re- 
garded the incident as a piece of treachery and want of 
good faith. At the back of his mind he settled with 
himself that before he left Monaco he would sink a 
French ship — not out of any spirit of revenge, but 
merely as a wholesome lesson. 

Then he pulled out his revolver, satisfied himself it 
was in working order, and let the “ Di ” gently down 
to the avenue of palms on the Casino terrace. 

Strong left his tiny airship without a qualm. He 
knew that, should any man be rash enough to inter- 
fere with her, he could at least set her adrift, and that 
the ‘‘ Victor ” hovered like a careful mother overhead. 

Now it had been arranged that when he should first 
alight in Monte Carlo the “ Victor ” should drop a 
further shell, simply by way of admonition. And this 
the “ Victor ” did. The great airship swung a little 


THE ROBBING OF MONTE CARLO 153 


to the south and dropped a shell among the small craft 
moored beside the quay. 

They sank like broken egg-shells. 

Then the “ Victor ” came swinging back, and once 
more took station over the Casino. 

Strong walked unconcernedly up the broad, white 
steps. No one challenged him. He passed into the 
great entrance hall, and the vast building was silent and 
deserted. He looked round him on every side with 
quick, searching glances. He stood stock stiU and lis- 
tened but there was not a sign of any life. Passing 
straight on, he went into the first of the gaming-rooms. 

The long tables, with their long expanse of baize, 
were quite forsaken. The carved and gilded high- 
backed chairs, usually occupied by gamesters, were 
drawn up in long, forlorn rows. The echo of his own 
decided footfalls was the only sound that greeted him. 

Strong paused beside one of the tables, and then 
came to a stand-still and laughed. Pie laughed at him- 
self because he had forgotten a very obvious thing. It 
was hardly likely that, being forewarned, the authori- 
ties of the Casino, to whom every cent is of value, would 
leave scattered abroad for him the sum which he had 
said that he would remove. A foolish tiling indeed it 
was to have forgotten, and one that annoyed Strong al- 
though it amused him. Yet his annoyance did not 
ripen into anger, because the object of his visit was not 
for the purposes of gain alone. 

“ For the first time in my life,” he said to himself, 
“ I shall have to leave a boast unfulfilled.” He passed 
on and made his way, which he knew well enough, to 
the director’s room. There he surveyed the great safes 
with irritation. It was decidedly galling to be com- 
pelled to return without that which he had come to take. 
“ Certainly,” he said again to himself, “ it is a question 
of ‘ check.’ However, no matter. Whether I take a 


154 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


few paltry pounds or not does not matter. At least I 
have held up Monte Carlo.” 

Suddenly there came to Strong in the silence the 
sound of distant guns, and quick as thought he turned 
about and r&n full speed through the deserted rooms 
and out on to the steps of the Casino. He was in 
time to see a pulF of smoke drifting lazily away from 
the side of a French battleship. He looked to the right, 
and to his surprise saw advancing, four deep, a column 
of red-trousered soldiery. And although the sight was 
to a certain extent menacing, it filled him with a mad 
joy. “ This,” he thought, should at least prove to 
Diana the futility of fighting these people on fair and 
square lines.” 

He ran down the steps into the bright sunshine and 
stood beside the “ Di.” He knew the troops could not 
fire until they halted, and he watched their oncoming 
without concern. Glancing up he saw that the ‘‘ Vic- 
tor ” had now dropped to within a couple of hundred 
feet or so off the ground, and was being maneuvered 
over the advancing column. 

He watched the airship keenly for a second or so, 
and then quite clearly saw a shell drop over the side. 
There came an explosion, and Strong turned away from 
the shambles that he knew must follow. 

He climbed quickly into the “ Di ” and put her up, 
and when he had steadied her opposite the “ Victor ” 
he looked down on the havoc beneath him. The whole 
of the vanguard of the regiment had been blown to 
atoms. 

He shouted to Langley to “ get up ” and the airships 
rose side by side to five thousand feet. Then, in the 
stillness of the upper air. Strong spoke his mind. And 
his language was far from pleasant. “ I have done,” 
he called to Langley, ‘‘ with trying to make these peo- 
ple understand. I have finished with even trying to 


THE ROBBING OF MONTE CARLO 155 


make them behave as gentlemen. Their blood be upon 
their own heads.” 

“ Will you warn them again? ” called Langley. 

“ Never again,” cried Strong. “ I will put along- 
side you, and we will swap places. I shall go down and 
wipe those brutes out.” 

Langley said never a word. He knew that at such 
times it was futile to argue with Strong, and so, w^hen 
the airships had been brought together, he quietly ex- 
changed places with his friend. 

“ Stay where you are,” said Strong. “ There is no 
need for you to descend. I am going back to punish 
them.” He had now passed from a hot rage to a cold 
one, and Arbuthnot and Pelham turned from the sight 
of his face as he let the “ Victor ” drop a couple of 
thousand feet. First he put the airship over the Ca- 
sino, and with his own hands dropped shell after shell 
into the building till scarce a stick or stone of it re- 
mained standing. With the mangled troops he did not 
interfere. 

The guns of the fleet beneath him were now trained 
as nearly as they could be upon the airship, but they 
were entirely incapable of touching the “ Victor.” 

“ My quarrel,” he said, more to himself than to the 
other men, is with the Commodore, and on him I will 
take vengeance.” He steered for the fleet, and hung 
over the great bulk of the battleship. He looked over 
the side and grinned; and his grin was cruel as he 
dropped a shell full onto the quarter-deck. Steel 
plates and planking spurted up like water; the sides 
bulged. A hundred screams of agony and fear came 
up to him from the stricken ship. Strong’s smile van- 
ished and he looked down gravely on his handiwork. 
He could see excited figures dancing on the navigating 
bridge, and men running hither and thither on the 
decks. Some worked like fiends about the davits, seek- 


156 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


ing to lower the boats ; others, without hesitation, 
leaped into the sea and swam. 

And then the ship sank. 

Strong swung the “ Victor ” round and stood over 
the second vessel in the line. 

I will destroy no more men,” said he, ‘‘ but I will 
put the fear of God into those scoundrels down below.” 
He dropped a second shell into the sea, and there arose 
a great cloud of water and of spray. 

And then the second ship of the line lowered the tri- 
color at her stern. 

‘‘ By Heaven ! ” cried Strong, “ they have struck — ■ 
the cowards have struck.” Now of a sudden he had 
jumped back from his cold rage into a hot one, and his 
face was scarlet. “ I have half a mind,” he shouted, 
“ to go down and take possession of the ship.” 

Arbuthnot said, almost roughly, ‘‘ Don’t be a fool ! ” 
And that brought Strong to his senses. 

“ You are right,” he said gravely. Then he added, 
in a bitter voice, ‘‘ I have almost forgotten that I have 
to be a diplomat. But one cannot be a diplomat with 
rats.” 

“ Isn’t this enough ? ” asked Arbuthnot. 

“ Yes, it is enough,” said Strong. “ We will go 
back to Aero — back to Diana and Diplomacy. Oh, 
and I am a fool to do it,” he cried. “ I hate the 
slaughter, but it is the quickest and the more merciful 
way.” 

Langley, however, braved Strong’s black wrath to 
remind him of poor Bellingham still waiting in the 
Aphrodite, He also urged the absolute necessity of 
acquiring the means to effect repairs. In the end 
Langley had his way, and towards nightfall they picked 
up the yacht off Lagos. 

Then Strong chose Bellingham for his fellow-traveler 
back to Aero, and putting him into the Di ” started 
for the crater. 


THE ROBBING OF MONTE CARLO 157 


When they arrived, Diana, wrapped in rugs, was 
sitting at a little distance from the blaze, watching the 
“ Di’s ” descent. 

There was so much of the zest of life in Strong’s eyes 
as he strolled over to speak to her that she smiled back 
in a happier manner than she had done for many days. 
Strong’s beaming face, indeed, deceived her into the 
belief that he had met with more success than he had 
let her know of by wireless. 

He threw himself onto the ground beside her, and, 
looking down, laughed gayly into her face. But his 
first words disillusioned her. 

‘‘ My dear,” he said, “ we’ve failed — hopelessly, 
miserably failed.” Then he poured out a stream of 
narrative and explanation. ‘‘ Still,” he said, in con- 
clusion, “ I suppose you want me to continue trying. 
Now, you know, my dear,” he went on, “ that I more 
or less trust to you in this matter. That is to say, I 
more or less rely upon your suggestion. I am no hand 
at diplomacy. Hammering people till they give in is 
more to my mind.” 

“ That seems to me,” said Diana, ‘‘ somewhat of a 
confession of small brain power. Do you really mean 
to tell me that since this afternoon you have been unable 
to think of any other scheme whereby you may achieve 
by peace what you propose to win by war.? ” 

“ To tell you the truth,” said Strong, “ I have ; and, 
ruling England out of it for the time being, I see but 
one way. Excepting England, there is in Europe at 
the present time only one man who really counts — 
only one man who is a real man, only one man who is a 
real leader of men. I mean the Kaiser. Now, it goes 
against the grain for me to do it, but the scheme which 
I have thought out is this: I will offer my services 
to His Imperial Majesty Billy of Germany in return for 
the kingdom of Balkania. He might subsequently re- 
quire me to make war on France, keep Russia in order. 


158 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER' 


or to coerce Italy. But these are matters which can be 
dealt with when the time comes. I fancy for the pres- 
ent he would be quite content with a little friendly 
coercion in a few directions which would give him an 
immense pull over his neighbors. Of one thing I am 
certain, that, of all people in the world, he will best 
appreciate the advantages of having such an airship as 
the ‘ Victor ’ at his disposal. So I propose to go and 
see him. At any rate, I am more worthy of considera- 
tion than Koepenick.” 

Diana’s face shone ruddy in the light of the fire, 
and now it was almost a happy face. She was even 
tempted to allow herself to fall into Strong’s headlong, 
hurrying, heedless ways. But she held herself in check, 
remembering that she must be, for a time at least, a 
drag upon the all-too-rapid wheel of his many move- 
ments. 

‘‘ When ? ” she asked slowly, though her heart was 
pounding. 

“ To-morrow at ten o’clock,” Strong said. I learn 
from Miss Hunt that His Majesty is off on naval ma- 
neuvers to-morrow night and I don’t want to let him 
get away to sea before I pick up keel. In that case we 
might have several hours’ dancing up and down the 
North Sea, and even then not find His Imperial Maj- 
esty’s High Sea Fleet before dark. And so,” he added, 
“ I think you had better go to bed. There is a busy 
day before us.” 

‘‘For you, yes,” said Diana, “but for me — ” She 
shrugged her shoulders and spread out her hands. 

Strong looked at her very kindly. He realized the 
immense sacrifice that she was making, and how entirely 
irksome to her energetic nature must be these prolonged 
and tiresome waits. 

“ If only,” he said, “ you would wholly throw in 
your lot with mine, things might be very different. 
Then you and I could go together into the hurly-burly.” 


THE ROBBING OF MONTE CARLO 159 


“ Don’t you value me a little liglitly ? ” asked Diana. 

Strong only laughed. “ Don’t you understand my 
ability a little?” he asked, by way of answer. “You 
would be just as safe and free from harm on board the 
‘ Victor ’ as you would be here, and things would cer- 
tainly be a shade more exciting.” 

“ Yes,” said Diana, slowly, “ and I fear a little more 
heartbreaking.” Diana closed her eyes and gave a 
shudder. “ I am thinking of Bomberg,” she said. 

Strong drew in his breath sharply and made no reply. 
Presently, however, he broke silence again. “ I cannot 
make you see it,” he said almost wearily. “ I cannot 
make you see it. If you would only realize how great, 
how really glorious is the end I have in view, you would 
think more lightly of the little incidents which pave the 
way for the goal.” 

“ And you,” said Diana, “ I am afraid would think 
a little more lightly of me.” 

Again Strong made no answer, for in his heart he 
knew that Diana was right. He left her, and made the 
other men turn in, telling them almost roughly that they 
must be astir betimes in the morning, as the day’s work 
was likely to be arduous. Then he rolled himself up in 
a blanket and slept dreamlessly beside the fire. 

At six o’clock he and Langley got to work by the 
light of the “ Victor’s ” electric lamps and thoroughly 
overhauled her machinery. Strong saw to the stowing 
of the ammunition, of which they had brought a good 
supply from the yacht. Churston was set to work to 
fill the empty shells. 

At about nine o’clock they all sat down to breakfast 
on the bowlder beside the torrent, which they had se- 
lected as a sort of open-air dining-room. Fortunately 
the weather still held fair. 

As the hour for departure drew near Diana took 
Strong on one side. She looked up into his face and 
besought him with her eyes. 


160 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


“ Remember,” she said, what you have promised 
me.” 

“ Dear heart,” said Strong, “ I have given you my 
word that if there can be peace it shall be peace. Not 
one single life shall be taken by my hand if I can possibly 
avoid it ; but, of course, I hold myself open to protect 
myself from attack or even to reply to hostilities.” 

“ If you are careful,” said Diana, “ there should be 
none.” 

Strong laughed a little bitterly. 

I promise you I will be positively urbane ; but if 
the Kaiser proceeds from words to deeds, and tries a 
little target practice on the ‘ Victor ’ with his very much 
vaunted guns, then I warn you solemnly that I shall not 
have the slightest compunction in the world in sinking 
the whole of his fleet if I am able to do so.” 

Diana’s eyes sparkled. 

“ And if His Majesty,” she said, were to resort to 
such tactics, I don’t think I should hold you much to 
blame if you were to make some reply.” 

Diana sat alone among the broken meats of the 
breakfast on the great bowlder, and for the third time 
watched the “ Victor ” leap away with Strong. 

And Strong’s heart was gloomy enough till he had 
crossed the glaciers and felt the sting of the keen air on 
his face, and, putting the “ Victor ” west, had sensed 
the tide of battle surging in his veins. 

With the ‘‘ Victor ” went Langley, Strong and 
Pelham. Arbuthnot, Strong decided, should take the 
“ Di,” and Arbuthnot, declaring that he cared nothing 
for loneliness, went alone. 

Bellingham, Strong had suggested, should remain 
with Diana. But Bellingham, although by no means 
insensible to the princess’s charms, was of another mind. 
His heart was in Vienna with Miss Hunt, and, moreover, 
he had spent enough days of weary waiting to satisfy 
even his amazing patience. 


THE ROBBING OF MONTE CARLO 161 


The men had by now grown so used to swift passage 
through the air, and to watching country after country 
stream past them, that they took but little heed of the 
panorama of the world as it rolled swiftly away below 
them. When, however, they drew near to Berlin the 
boredom of the long, swift trip instantly vanished. 

Pelham suddenly sang out from above : “ Airship 
ahead ! ” 

Strong snatched up the glasses, and looking west- 
ward, saw sailing over the roofs of Berlin one of the 
greatly prized airships of the Germans. It was about a 
thousand feet from the earth, and was moving, at least 
as they judged it, slowly. 

Strong dropped the “ Victor ” a thousand feet, letting 
her fall slightly towards the German craft. Then he 
brought the “ Victor ” to a standstill, and he and his 
companions watched the ridiculously-labored move- 
ments of the German airship. The wind was whistling 
from the north through the housetops of Berlin, and it 
was obvious that the officers of the German airship had 
some difficulty in navigating her against the breeze. 
Her great, full, cigar-shaped balloon quivered as they 
forced her into the teeth of the wind; and then, when 
they had brought her into the eye of the breeze. Strong 
could see through the glasses that it required two men 
to keep her from falling away. Moreover, the progress 
which she made was very slow. Langley judged it at 
about twelve miles per hour. 

“ Tell you what,” cried Strong, “ we must show these 
fellows just what we can do.” 

“ Five hundred feet down ! ” 

The “ Victor ” dropped like a stone. 

Starboard ! ” said Strong. 

She answered to the helm like a racing yacht in the 
stiff breeze, and they shot across the bows of the German 
airship almost within hailing distance. 

Starboard again, and stop ! ” 


162 HE CONQUERED THE ICAISER 


Langley brought her head round, and they fetched 
up within hailing distance of the lumbering concern 
which was now upon their level. 

Strong picked up a megaphone and shouted through 
it, “ Wie gehts? ” 

He had the megaphone at his mouth and the glasses 
at his eyes, though these were scarcely necessary, so 
little was the distance between the two airships. He 
could see a couple of much gold-braided officers speak 
hurriedly to each other. It was rude, and he knew it ; 
it was distinctly and uncommonly rude, but he once 
more shouted, “ How are you ? ” 

The Prussian officers stared at him in stony silence. 
Silence is commonly supposed to be the attribute of the 
wise, but in spite of this general belief it is usually the 
refuge of the man without an argument. And Strong 
laughed aloud as he realized that the latter was the case 
with the two officers of the German war craft. So, 
with the insolence born of conscious superiority, he 
waved his hat to them, and ordered Langley to put the 

Victor ” up three thousand feet. 

Then they rushed northwards again. 

By three o’clock they were over Kiel, and, reducing 
the altitude two thousand feet. Strong was able to take 
in the whole of the formation of the German battle fleet, 
which at the time was setting out to sea. A crowd of 
torpedo-boats went ahead. Then he saw a double 
column of battleships, numbering fourteen in all, while 
a second crowd of torpedo-boats followed in their wake. 
On either side of the battleships, at a distance ranging 
from three to twelve miles, were half a score of cruiser 
scouts. It was a great fleet. 

Langley, looking down, took in the whole scene at a 
glance. “ When do we start ? ” he asked. 

“ Not yet,” said Strong. ‘‘ Let them get out to sea. 
The further we are away from shore the better I shall 


THE ROBBING OF MONTE CARLO 163 


be pleased, and the more they will be troubled. Give 
them sea room enough and they will hang themselves — 
or perhaps be blown up.” He ordered the “ Victor ” 
to stop, and sat down alone in the stern. A thousand 
different ideas, aims and plans flashed rapidly through 
his mind. Gradually he attuned them all to the fact 
that he had given his word to Diana that if there could 
be peace, peace there should be. 

He was content to let the “ Victor ” remain stationary 
while the fleet steamed ahead. The ships had become 
mere patches the size of match-heads in the ocean when 
he ordered the “ Victor ” under way again. Though 
he had allowed the fleet below him so long a start, it 
only took the “ Victor ” twenty minutes to pick them 
up again. Then Strong ordered a thousand foot drop. 
They went down, and the glasses soon revealed the fact 
that the Hohenzollern III, from which the Admiral’s 
flag was flying, signifying that the Kaiser was on board, 
led the starboard column of the battleships. 

And here it may be said that during all the waits 
that had hung so heavily upon Strong’s and Diana’s 
hands, Langley had busied himself with experiments 
as to the tuning of his wireless instruments, and these 
experiments he had brought to such a successful issue 
that he could tune them practically to the instruments of 
any state or any company. 

Langley, too, thoughtful, careful and methodical as 
ever, had not only learned by heart the international 
code which was commonly used for general matters, but 
also the codes of Germany and France and the United 
States. It was the German code that he now called into 
use. The message which he sent under Strong’s in- 
structions was short and to the point. It was this : 

‘‘ Mr. Strong desires to speak to His Imperial 
Majesty the German Emperor.” 

There was no answer. 


164 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Twice and more did Langley repeat the message, 
but again there was no reply. Then Strong instructed 
him to speak to the German fleet. 

Mr. Strong makes no threat, delivers no ultimatum, 
contents himself with a suggestion. He realizes that 
His Imperial Majesty is not to be coerced, but at the 
same time respectfully informs him that he has a right 
to parley, and if such parley is not given within the 
space of five minutes he will prove that right.” 

Then he sat with his watch in his hand, counting the 
seconds passing by. It wanted five seconds to the five 
minutes wdien the answer came. 

“ What has Mr. Strong to say ? ” 

“ Mr. Strong merely desires to discuss the interna- 
tional situation with His Majesty.” 

There was more delay before the answer came back. 

“ The Emperor will grant the interview.” 

Before I come down to His Majesty,” Strong re- 
plied, “ I must request his word of honor that I shall 
be treated as an ambassador is treated, even though I 
call on my own behalf. In return I give him my word 
that no harm shall befall His Majesty or His Majesty’s 
fleet.” 

The reply when it came was business-like. 

‘‘His Majesty consents to the proposal, but this 
compact is only to hold good while Mr. Strong is on 
board the Hohenzollern III” 

Strong ticked back : “ It must hold good until Mr. 
Strong has rejoined his airship.” 

There was again a little pause, and then came the 
reply : “ The Emperor is agreed.” 

Strong signaled to the “ Di ” to approach, and 
Arbuthnot having gingerly brought her alongside the 
“ Victor,” Strong stepped into the smaller craft. 

He left the navigation of the “ Di ” to Arbuthnot, 
telling him to put. her alongside the gangway of the 
Hohenzollern III, which he could now see being lowered, 


THE ROBBING OF MONTE CARLO 165 


as the whole of the fleet, in answer to signals from the 
flagship, was coming to a standstill. That is to say, 
only sufficient way remained on the battleships to keep 
them in station. 

As they swooped slowly down Strong kept a careful 
watch on the Hohenzollern 111, and it was obvious that 
severe discipline was being maintained on board; for 
beyond the sentries on the quarter-deck not a single 
member of the crew was to be observed. The Emperor 
was still on the bridge with two of the officers, whom 
Strong judged to be an admiral and a navigating lieu- 
tenant. Beyond the presence of these officers and the 
sentries there was no sign of any life. 

Arbuthnot dropped the Di ” gently to the water, 
and set her alongside the gangway. A couple of seamen 
then appeared from under the bridge and ran down the 
steps to make the Di ” fast. A quartermaster had 
followed them, and saluted as Strong stepped on board. 

When they had gained the deck the quartermaster 
led the way aft and Strong walked beside him. Glanc- 
ing back over his shoulder Strong could see the Kaiser 
following in his wake. Then the quartermaster stood 
aside and motioned to Strong to pass through the hatch. 


CHAPTER XII 


TWO STRONG MEN 

At first, finding himself face to face with the German 
Emperor, Strong suffered to some extent a sense of dis- 
appointment. The Emperor’s uniform sat on him 
loosely ; his face was pallid with the pallidness of a man 
who suffers from liver, and his famous mustaches, which 
were brushed up into his eyes, suggested an atmosphere 
of caricature rather than of real ferocity. 

But the Kaiser’s eyes were strange and wonderful. 
They were cold, masterful eyes, which at once invested 
all the outwardly insignificant attributes of the Emperor 
with commanding dignity. 

The Kaiser swept a hand towards a chair, and him- 
self took a seat at the table. Then he spoke. 

“ Perhaps you will be kind enough, Mr. Strong,” he 
said, “ to tell me precisely why I am indebted to you 
for this visit.” 

The two men looked, at each other. It seemed to 
Strong that they were like fencers waiting for an open- 
ing. 

“ I have come,” he said, “ to suggest to Your Majesty 
that the ownership, or at any rate the control, of two 
such airships as I possess would be a tenfold increase of 
Your Majesty’s power.” 

‘‘ I don’t know,” said the Emperor, ‘‘ that I par- 
ticularly wish it increased.” 

“ You must excuse my speaking plainly,” said Strong, 

but that is a statement which I presume is suggested 
from a spirit of diplomacy rather than your actual 
166 


TWO STRONG MEN 


167 


state of feeling. In any case, we will allow it to pass. 
Now I fear that I shall have to bore you to some slight 
extent in order that I may explain my position. How- 
ever, I will waste no words. It amounts to this, that, 
with the assistance of these airships, I intend to seize 
the kingdom of Balkania. Owing to the intercession 
of Princess Diana, I have agreed not to resort to force 
unless force be necessary, but rather to seek my aims 
through diplomatic channels. With this end in view, 
therefore, I have now approached Your Majesty, and 
the proposition which I put to you quite simply is this : 
If you will see to it that the King of Balkania abdicates 
and I myself reign in his stead, and will guarantee me 
perfect liberty to conduct the affairs of Balkania in 
my own way, I will place my two airships at Your 
Majesty’s disposal, for you to employ them as you will. 
I only make one stipulation,” continued Strong, ‘‘ that 
Great Britain and all her possessions shall be considered 
outside the scope of any operations which you may wish 
to conduct.” 

The Kaiser laughed. “ The suggestion, from your 
point of view,” said he, ‘‘ may be an excellent one, but 
to me it is simply preposterous. I do not traffic with 
adventurers, and do not traffic with outlaws. I am the 
head of a great civilized state, and I altogether decline 
to treat with a man who sets international law at 
defiance. When, in your insolence, you demanded to 
visit this vessel, I gave you my Imperial word that you 
should rejoin your own craft in safety, but beyond that 
I have promised you nothing, and I may as well inform 
you that I simply regard you as an outlaw, a pirate, 
and a pest to society, and I shall issue instant orders 
to my officers to destroy you and your airships.” 

Strong laughed aloud. “ You are at perfect liberty. 
Your Majesty, to please yourself in the matter. How- 
ever, I warn you that the consequences may be exceed- 
ingly serious for you. As you have done me the honor 


168 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


of receiving me on this occasion, and also are apparently 
about to keep your word that I shall rejoin my airship 
in safety, I will not harm you at present. I will not, 
indeed, do so because I fancy that in the near future 
Your Majesty may be exceedingly useful to me. It 
will be very necessary for me before many days,” 
Strong continued, “ to possess a powerful ally in Europe 
who will assist me in dealing with the rest of the powers 
as I see fit. Until that moment arrives — but it will, 
I assure you, not be long in coming — I will bid you 
good-by.” 

The Englishman picked up his cap from the table and 
prepared to leave the saloon. Then he turned and 
faced the Emperor once more. 

‘‘ I will also warn you,” he said, “ of one thing 
further. Should you make any attempt, should you so 
much as fire one shot, with the intention of injuring 
either me or my airships, I will sink or disable every 
craft that fires a shot.” 

The Kaiser’s face was livid with anger; but even at 
that moment of intense rage there was something very 
much akin to admiration in his eyes. 

“ You are a bold man, Mr. Strong,” he said, but I 
think that on this occasion you will meet with a great 
deal more than your match.” 

‘‘ That,” said Strong, “ remains to be seen.” 

It will be seen,” said the Emperor, “ within the next 
five minutes.” 

Strong, without another word, stalked out of the 
saloon, and marched up the stairs and out on to the 
deck. He took one quick look about him, and realized 
that by a piece of really masterly tactics the Kaiser 
had laid an exceedingly awkward trap for him. 

The Hohenzollern III was now without any immediate 
companionship from the other vessels of the fleet. The 
line of double column ahead had been broken, and now 


TWO STRONG MEN 


169 


the fourteen battleships lay in a wide circle some fifteen 
miles across, of which the Hohenzollern III was the 
center. The cruisers and torpedo craft were scattered 
and steaming over the horizon in every direction, the 
purport of which Strong grasped at once. It was 
obvious that the Kaiser was determined to take big risks 
and make an effort to smash him. 

The ‘‘ Victor ” was hovering overhead at an altitude 
of about 1500 feet, and Strong, to his dismay, saw that 
Langley could not have realized what the strange 
maneuvering of the German feet portended. But 
Strong understood very well, and, seeing danger all 
about him, determined to face it without a second’s 
delay. 

At the gangway the Kaiser, who had followed him, 
called to him to stop before he went down the steps. 

Strong, not loth to ease his mind with hot words, 
faced round and spoke fast and warmly. “ Oh, yes,” 
he said, ‘‘ I can see what Your Majesty’s little game is, 
and I can even guess what you propose to say. You 
are going to tell me that the moment my airship has 
risen from 500 feet to 1000 feet I shall be in a cross-fire 
of several score of guns that have already been carefully 
trained. You imagine that the prospect of this will 
terrify me to such an extent that I shall listen to what 
you presumably would call reason, which means that I 
should be fool enough to surrender myself and my air- 
ships. Allow me to inform Your Majesty that you are 
very much mistaken. There are more ways of escape 
for me than you possibly imagine, and one, I warn you, 
which you would find very unpleasant. In five seconds’ 
time,” he went on, speaking loudly and rapidly, “ I 
could be directly over the Hohenzollern III and drop 
enough shells into you to send you to the bottom like a 
stone; but as I have already guaranteed the safety of 
Your Majesty I will not adopt that method unless you 


170 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


attack me from this ship. If you do that, then I promise 
you that the Hohenzollern III will be the first victim of 
your own folly.” 

Without another word Strong ran quickly down the 
gangway and jumped into the “ Di.” Five seconds later 
he was going up, and even while he ran down the gang- 
way steps he had made up his mind. He saw that if he 
rose a couple of hundred feet or so and then made in one 
direction or another he would leave the “ Victor ” un- 
warned, and therefore exposed to what in all probability 
would be a deadly fire. Moreover, to effect his own 
escape, he would have to pass through the zone of fire. 

He therefore decided to take the bolder course, leap 
straight up, warn the “ Victor,” and risk the conse- 
quences. 

A thought flashed through his mind. The Hohen- 
zollern III, it was true, might take no active part in the 
coming conflict, but in all probability it was from her 
that the rest of the fleet would get the signal. So he 
put the “ Di ” back and down and came to within hailing 
distance of the quarter-deck, on which the Kaiser still 
stood. 

He leaned out of the little craft and yelled through his 
megaphone at the Emperor. “ I have come back to lay 
one more restriction on you,” he cried. If you so 
much as signal from the Hohenzollern III to the fleet I 
shall consider that an act of hostility, and you will have 
to take the consequences. I mean what I say.” 

And the Emperor, looking up and catching sight of 
Strong’s face, knew full well that, even if it cost him his 
life, Strong would keep his word. 

The “ Di ” went up again. 

Strong was too busy now to look over the side, but 
had he done so he might have seen the Kaiser stamping 
first with one foot and then with the other, as he bit 


TWO STRONG MEN 


171 


savagely at his nails. For Strong had guessed precisely 
what His Majesty had intended to do, and though he 
had decided to take desperate measures in dealing with 
Strong, the Kaiser was not prepared to risk the sinking 
of the Hohenzollern III, 

In a few seconds the “ Di ” was on a level with the 

Victor,” and Strong shouted to Arbuthnot to get up. 

He was only just in time. The second in command 
of the fleet, failing to observe any signals from the 
Hohenzollern III, and realizing that in a few moments 
more both airships would be out of range, had taken 
the initiative into his own hands, and from a distant 
point across the water there came a flash from one of the 
battleships. The flash was followed by a roar, and then 
spurts of flame gleamed in the daylight from every 
point of the compass. The “ Victor ” and the Di ” 
were encased in a ring of fire. 

Strong could hear the shells whistling and shrieking 
below him, above him, and past him. One of them 
screamed a passage clean between the “ Di’s ” upright 
propellers, and, whistling on, just missed the hull of the 
“ Victor.” 

The wind from the shell struck Strong like a blow 
and knocked him on to his back, and as he lay on the 
floor of the ‘‘ Di ” he could see shell after shell flashing 
past above him like so many silver streaks. 

He picked himself up and rushed to the steering 
gear, for the ‘‘ Di ” was still leaping up. The shrieking 
of the shells was growing faint beneath him, and he saw, 
to his joy, that the “ Victor ” was now well out of range 
above him. 

And then the feared and the expected came. The 
last shell that could have reached him just grazed the 
shaft of the after-part of the, upright propeller on the 
.starboard bow, but though the shell only grazed it 


17a HE CX)NQUERED THE KAISER 


lightly, it snapped it in half like a reed, and the falling 
propeller crashed against the side of the ‘‘ Di ” and 
stove in her flimsy hull. 

The airship quivered like a bird hit in flight and then 
dipped with a nasty list to starboard. 

Three other upright propellers were still working, 
as were the propellers ahead and astern, but it only took 
Strong one glance at the indicator to show that the 
‘‘ Di ” had slowly begun to drop. 

He gave her all the power he could, but still the 
indicator showed that, though only slightly, the “ Di ” 
was drifting down. 

The “ Victor ” was now beyond the range of Strong’s 
voice, even through the megaphone, and he wondered 
what course Langley would pursue. It was the first 
time he had left him to independent command in a tight 
place, and his reflections as he sat and watched the 
indicator were far from pleasant. All his hopes and all 
his plans seemed drifting down to the sea. However, 
he did his best by putting the ‘‘ Di ” full speed ahead 
for the coast. She made poor progress. With every 
second as he drifted down he knew he was becoming a 
better and better target for the warships which were 
already closing in upon him. 

Then he saw that his plight had been recognized 
from the “ Victor,” for she had put about and was now 
almost directly overhead. Had it been possible for him 
to do so, he would have warned her against descending 
and told them to leave him to his fate. He would have 
been far more content to perish in the sea or from the 
German guns than to live and suffer the utter shame of 
defeat. 

The gun-fire was now becoming furious again, and 
though it was evident that the gunners in the warships 
had lost their range, still the shells whistled and shrieked 
uncomfortably near him. 


TWO STRONG MEN 


173 


A stray shot does it,” Strong said to himself. As 
he could not communicate with the ‘‘ Victor ” he prayed 
that Langley might be quick, for two more shells came 
nearer than the rest and warned him that at least one 
of the warships was finding the lost range. 

Then the “ Victor ” swooped, and a few seconds later 
had fetched up beside him. 

Langley, though his face was pale as ashes, did not 
falter at his task. He brought the “ Victor ” alongside 
the ‘‘ Di ” to such a nicety that Strong, stretching out, 
caught the ‘‘ Victor’s ” gunwale and drew his own 
smaller craft beside the larger one. 

Then came another long screech from a shell, and 
another streak of silver passed through the upright pro- 
pellers of the Victor.” 

“What is to be done?” asked Arbuthnot. “Shall 
we leave her or salve her? ” 

But here Langley cried out in protest : “ Leave her ! ” 
he said. “Never! I have brought her down on the 
side where the list is. Make her fast, keep her going, 
and with the ^ Victor’s ’ assistance we will get her up.” 

The shells were still whistling about them, but they 
set to work with great will, and in the space of about a 
minute had made the “ Di ” fast to the “ Victor’s ” side. 

Langley put the “ Victor ” gently up, and together 
the two airships rose slowly but surely for another 
thousand feet. They were now well out of range, and 
Strong had time to breathe and wipe the sweat from his 
forehead. He took Langley’s hand and wrung it. 

“ That is about the nearest squeak we have had yet,” 
he said. “ Langley, you’re a brick. Very few men 
would have been so self-sacrificing as to come back for 
a lame duck like me. You are a real live hero, my boy, 
and heaven bless you for it. When I reign in Balkania 
I will strike a medal equivalent to the Victoria Cross, 
and you shall be the first to have one.” 


174 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


“ Oh, rats ! ” said Langley, shortly. 

“ And now,” said Strong, “ we have got to make up 
our minds what we are going to do with those gentlemen 
down below. Personally, I hardly think it was playing 
the game, though certainly I deserved all I got for tak- 
ing no precautions. It has been an excellent lesson. 
You may bet that it will be a long time before I despise 
the enemy again.” 

“ Don’t you think,” suggested Langley, ‘‘ that we 
|iad better put back for Aero while there is time, before 
more damage is done.?^ ” 

“ Not before I have had a smack at some of those 
beggars below,” said Strong. 

“ What about the Hohenzollern III? ” asked Arbuth- 
not. 

“ Out of the question, unfortunately. I gave my 
word to leave her alone, but there is nothing to protect 
the other fellows. I don’t think in our present condition 
we had better go far out of our course. Let us stand 
from the coast and take what comes en passant,’* 

Langley brought the two airships round and made 
for the distant shore. The “ Victor ” was sadly 
hampered by the wounded ‘‘ Di,” but none the less they 
made good speed. 

Ahead of them was a giant battleship rolling slowly 
with the tide. 

“ Three thousand feet,” said Strong, ‘‘ is rather too 
far to make sure of dropping one’s shell straight.” 

“ Look here,” said Langley, “ I don’t like to dispute 
your authority, but I may tell you, regretfully but 
respectfully, that unless you take me from the charge of 
the ^ Victor ’ by force I will never consent to go down 
while we are in this condition.” 

“ All right,” said Strong, “ have it your own way, 
but keep as dead over the battleship below us as you 
can.” 


TWO STRONG MEN 


175 


Langley was so accurate in his calculations that a 
plumb-line dropped from the “ Victor’s ” side must have 
fallen on to the bridge of the battleship beneath them. 

It was then that Strong, setting his mouth, picked 
up two of the larger shells and dropped them one after 
the other full and square on to the battleship’s decks. 

An immense cloud of smoke spurted up and mercifully 
hid from Strong the sight of his own handiwork. But 
they could hear the long grinding wrench of timber and 
steel tom asunder and the sharp cries of stricken men. 

Langley put the “ Victor ” ahead again after a few 
moments. When the smoke had rolled away a little 
they could see that the battleship was in sore straits. 
Men, looking no larger than the size of ants, were 
swarming on the decks, busy at the davits of such boats 
as had not been splintered into matchwood. 

‘‘ Good heavens ! ” said Bellingham, “ she’s going 
down by the stem.” He was greatly agitated, and 
Strong put his hand on his shoulder to console him. 

Bellingham, however, declined to be comforted. 

This is a hideous business,” he cried. But Strong, 
whose face wore about as much pity or remorse or kind- 
liness as the countenance of the Sphinx, merely shrugged 
his shoulders. 

“ Maybe,” he said, “ but just as a stitch in time saves 
nine, so this small piece of destruction may prevent 
wholesale bloodshed.” Then he sighed. “ Poor 
Diana ! ” he said to himself, and he set the ‘‘ Victor ” 
for Aero. 


CHAPTER XIII 


BOMBERG CAPITULATES 

Strong’s mood was black, so that when he reached Aero 
Diana could read disaster in his face. 

He flung his story at her with hot words, nor when 
he had made an end of his narrative would he be soothed 
or listen to reason. “ I have done with diplomacy for- 
ever ! ” he cried. “ It’s war now, red war 1 ” 

At Diana’s suggestion that he should approach the 
King of England in the interests of peace. Strong 
laughed in scorn. 

It was then that Diana herself flared up. “ You 
don’t want peace,” she cried. “ You won’t try for it. 
You have broken your pact with me and I shall return 
to my father.” 

“ By heaven, you shall ! ” shouted Strong. And he 
walked away, cursing himself in his heart for a cad. 
Then he threw himself beside the Are and fell asleep 
from weariness. 

While he slept Diana sobbed her soul out. In Bom- 
berg King George II hurried on his fatuous plan of 
building dirigible balloons. 

On the morrow Strong was all humbleness, but Diana’s 
mood was hard. Also her mind was set on the return to 
Bomberg that she might once more plead the cause of 
peace with her father. Strong had little doubt what the 
result of that last pleading would be, but let Diana have 
her way. He bore her back to Bomberg and waited 
with what patience he could summon for the King’s 
decision. 


176 


BOMBERG CAPITULATES 


177 


Towards noon little flashes came from his wireless 
instrument. 

“ His Majesty declines in any way to consider Mr. 
Strong’s proposals,” ticked Diana. “ Mr. Strong is at 
liberty to take what steps he pleases.” 

“ That is official,” Strong answered. “ Now, wh'at 
of yourself.? ” 

“ I have still hope,” said Diana, “ and I wish that you 
would give me time.” 

Strong answered : I cannot. There has already 
been time enough spent. I shall move to the attack 
at once. But you, what of you ? ” 

‘‘ I shall remain here,” said Diana. “ Obviously I 
cannot return now, but when it is all over I will come 
back. If it must be war, I would rather be with you.” 

Strong’s heart leaped in his body. “ God bless you,” 
was the message he sent her. 

He ordered the “Victor” to follow the line of the 
main street as he had followed it a few days before, till 
the palace came in sight. And when he drew near, just 
about 500 yards overhead, his heart was melted within 
him. For, upon the terrace of the palace, Diana sat 
alone with her father. The King was looking over the 
town. The troops were massed in the square. Diana 
sat apart with her hands still folded, just as Strong had 
seen her sit with folded hands in the motor car which 
had borne her from him. And with the melting of his 
heart came the desire to make one final effort for con- 
ciliation. 

Though he was compelled to swallow his pride to do 
so, he ticked out the query: “ Is His Majesty’s answer 
final ? ” From above he could see Diana bend over the 
little instrument in her lap as it received his message. 
He could see her turn and speak to the King. He saw 
the King nod his head. 

Strong made for the forts to the westward of the 
city and laid them in ruins. He was compelled to look 


178 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


down upon shambles which he never forgot. But by 
now he was cold in his resolution, and, having laid the 
western forts in ashes, he sailed across the palace east- 
wards. And there also he demolished the forts. 

Then again he put back above the palace and ticked 
a further message. But the answer was still the same. 
The King remained unrepentant. 

The afternoon was wearing on, and Strong decided 
that he must settle with Bomberg before dark. 

From the hills on the west of the town he could see 
that the army corps encamped there were beginning to 
move. He judged that they were marching on the 
town. And when he realized their defenselessness he 
felt a coward. 

He felt ashamed. It was like fighting children. He 
looked about the Victor ” now at the men who were 
with him. They were gentlemen, all of them, and he 
could see that they were sick and ashamed of the busi- 
ness on which they had embarked. 

Strong, too, was sick and sorry and ashamed, but 
there was no course of action to follow but to continue 
what he had begun. 

It is only fair to say of Strong that he would even" 
then have surrendered the whole bad business, and would 
have delivered himself into the hands of the authorities 
of some neutral power for them to take justice upon 
him. At such a moment his own life seemed cheap. 
This, however, was not the only consideration. He 
had upon his soul not only the lives that he had taken, 
but the lives he still held in the hollow of his hand. 

He realized that to surrender in a moment of remorse 
would be to surrender the lives of Langley, Arbuthnot, 
Wildney, and the other men who had served him so well 
and so truly. And, in a moment of ungovernable rage, 
he judged their lives dearer than the lives of all the men 
and women he had destroyed, and all the men and 
women he might be called upon to destroy. 


BOMBERG CAPITULATES 


179 


He would at least save the friends whose lives his 
ungovernable ambition had forfeited. 

But as he looked at their white and sullen faces 
he realized that he might be saving them in spite of 
themselves. His resolve, therefore, was adamant. He 
would go on. He would take Bomberg. He would take 
Sylvania. He would steal the earth. He would save 
his friends. 

Strong, however, moved towards his determination 
with a desire to deal as gently as he could with the 
people who lay at his mercy. The “ Victor ” drifted 
down over the Ministry, and when summoned, M. StaL 
van, the premier, came trembling to the wireless instru- 
ment. 

Strong put a certain question to him. He asked 
the shaking premier if he were satisfied that he held 
the whip-hand. Strong was brutal in his language. 
Even at that moment a certain savage humor took 
hold of him. 

‘‘ After all,” he said to himself, “ I am only cruel to 
be kind.” 

M. Stalvan replied that the affair was no concern 
of his — that so long as the King held out he could say 
nothing. 

But you are a Constitutional Government,” urged 
Strong. 

Perhaps,” was the answer, and Strong could almost 
feel that the premier was shrugging his shoulders and 
making a polite little gesture. 

Instinctively Strong grimaced at the air. 

This was no time for gentleness nor for indecision ; 
it was the time for that brutality which was meant to 
be kind. 

So his reply to the premier was clear-cut and decisive. 
“ If you do not take the matter out of the hands of 
the King before nightfall,” he said, “ your city and your 
state are lost. If I cannot deal with him I shall deal 


180 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


with you. You will know yourself before evening how 
matters go. If it devolves on you to surrender Bom- 
berg, you can do so by hoisting a blue flag by daylight 
or by showing a blue light by ni^ht above the Ministry. 
Since you cut me off in this manner, I have nothing 
more to say. I shall make one more effort to com- 
municate with the palace, but if I fail in that I shall 
simply proceed to lay waste the town.” 

No answer came from the instrument in the Ministry. 

Strong Avas persistent. He demanded to know, 
should the premier be in a position to deal with the 
affair himself, whether the little code which he had 
devised would be acceptable or not. 

There was a pause, but finally the answer came that 
such would be the case. 

Strong swung the Victor ” round, and made up 
the length of the main street in which the troops and 
the doctors were now at work. 

The artillery in the palace square stood silent by 
their guns. The situation was a mockery. They 
could not injure Strong, yet Strong could injure them. 
Over the whole city, indeed, after the screaming out- 
burst which had come so short a time before, there was 
now a great hush. 

The light was already beginning to wane, but no 
artificial lights showed themselves. True, from the 
“ Victor ” there could be seen men and women moving 
hurriedly through the highways and byways of the city, 
but they walked in the swift silence of people sore afraid. 

At least. Strong had robbed Bomberg of all pleasure. 
Indeed, there reigned in the place of Bomberg’s ordinary 
busy, cheerful life a great and dreadful fear. 

Though there were troops stationed on the terrace 
of the palace, and on the hills to the north of it, and in 
the gardens on either side of it, there was, none the less, 
a great silence, and the palace itself was as a house of 
the dead. 


BOMBERG CAPITULATES 


181 


Onlj here and there on the great length of its dull, 
graj face there showed a light. It was as though its 
glory had already -departed. And the effect of despair 
and desolation it gave was increased by the dismal 
masses of the western and eastern wings which had 
already been destroyed. 

In the chill of the late afternoon upper air Strong 
once again endeavored to enter into communication 
with the silent palace by means of his wireless instrument. 

Though he ticked again and again, allowing a 
generous time for delay on the part of those he sought 
to summon, there came no answer. The palace was 
more than ever the palace of the dead. 

Now Strong, with the intuition that was his, realized 
that the desolation and the silence with which he was 
now confronted were to a great extent artificial. He 
had a knack of placing himself in other men’s shoes, 
and therefore he understood very quickly and clearly 
that it was all to the advantage of the King to take no 
heed of his callings ; that it might at any rate be gaining 
a short respite to leav^ the enemy in doubt as to what 
was happening in the threatened palace. 

And when Strong saw this, hot anger rose in his 
heart, but he could find no outlet for his rage ; his hand 
was stayed because the deserted and half-ruined palace 
sheltered the one being in the whole world for whom he 
had any thought or love. His anger grew as he realized 
that the King was trading upon that fact. 

“ The hound,” said Strong from between his teeth, 
‘‘ feels himself safe because he knows that I dare not 
strike lest I should hurt Diana.” 

For a while he hung over the palace, turning things 
over in his mind. It seemed an appalling thing still 
further to desolate and destroy the already stricken 
city, yet setting aside all feeling of humanity, and look- 
ing only to the larger aim, it was the only tiling to do. 
Then darkness came down. 


182 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


The only lights in the main streets were those of gas 
flares, and by the light of these the living were still 
searching for the dead. Nor in the other parts of the 
city was there much light, and the signs of life were few. 
The city, indeed, lay like a dumb animal waiting for 
the hand that should deal death. And once more Strong 
decided that he must of necessity deal death. 

But where should he strike.? 

Then it came home to Strong that possibly what 
might create the most terrifying impression in the offi- 
cial mind would be to destroy the official buildings. 

The “ Victor ” swung round again, and set over the 
great square, roimd which were ranged the different 
Ministries. Strong made a detour of them, and as the 
“ Victor ” passed slowly over the roofs of Ministry after 
Ministry so he dropped shell after shell. 

As he dropped the shells there arose beneath him 
a perfect hell on earth. From the three sides of the 
square round which the Ministries were ranged there 
began to rise sheets of flame. 

It was very difficult to say precisely what was hap- 
pening, for the clouds of smoke were dense and the flames 
so bright that they largely blotted out Strong’s view. 

At last there came the sound of bugles and the noise 
of tramping feet, and there came up also through the 
stiU air the sound of fire engines racing over the cobbles 
of the by-streets. 

So blinding, indeed, were the flames and so dense 
was the smoke that Strong was compelled to put the 
“ Victor ” up another five hundred feet, and then, just 
as distance lends enchantment to the view, so distance 
now lent a sense of irresponsibility. The burning heart 
of the city appealed to Strong only as the bonfire ap- 
peals to a boy on Guy Fawkes night. 

None the less, through his night-glasses he took a 
very careful survey of the town. The gilded dome of 


BOMBERG CAPITULATES 


183 


the House of the Representatives of the People stood 
out clearly in the light. 

It was not for Strong to know, but all the afternoon 
the representatives of the people had sat there holding 
the most important conclave of their lives. And in the 
debate there had sprung up a great clamor for surren- 
der. The new terror was more than they could bear. 

Though they had nominally enjoyed perfect liberty 
and constitutional rights, the King none the less had 
been the dominating figure at all their debates, and it 
was he who, in reality, shaped all their ends. 

But now things were otherwise. Two miles of 
wrecked and desolate streets divided them from the seat 
of authority. And the King, like Achilles, sulked in his 
tent. His Majesty was silent in the palace. 

From time to time, through M. Stalvan, they applied 
for aid and advice, but there came no answer except a 
rude uncompromising message that the city was at the 
moment under martial law. 

Certainly the town swarmed with troops, for the 
army, which had been massed to the westward to face 
the King of Sylvania’s hosts, had been ordered back to 
Bomberg. 

But, after all, the message that the city was under 
martial law was merely a matter of words, and tactics 
spoke a great deal louder. All through the afternoon 
the Ministry had conferred as to what had best be done ; 
and the Ministers, as must be the case with all assemblies 
of men who consider the needs of their nation without 
taking any personal outlook on a matter, were finding 
it hard to take the view that it would be best to surrender 
to the foreigner. 

The representatives of the other Powers remained 
within doors exchanging hurried messages. Of them, 
indeed. Strong had not thought for one moment. It 
was through no design of his that one of the shells that 


184 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


he had dropped overboard had plunged through the 
roof of the house that sheltered the Minister of Germany 
and had laid what should have been a neutral residence 
in ruins. 

But upon this accident there hung greater issues than 
he had contemplated. It was indeed the beginning of 
the end. Just as birds of a feather flock together, so 
did the representatives of the Great Powers gather to- 
gether now, for they regarded an insult or an injury to 
one of them more or less as an insult or an injury to 
them all. 

Thereby had M. Stalvan’s difficulties been immensely 
increased. The Ministers had been to him and im- 
pressed upon him the necessity of not surrendering, 
arguing that the cause of Balkania was now the cause 
of all the civilized world. But M. Stalvan was a man 
in whom humanity was uppermost. He thought only 
of the people whom he nominally represented. 

It took him many hours to decide what course of 
action he should pursue, but when he at last made up 
his mind he was resolved to see that his point of view 
was respected. 

And he decided to surrender. 

Some hotheads there were in the House of Repre- 
sentatives of the People who murmured against his 
decision ; but the Ministry was at his back, and he stood 
firm. 

In spite of the glare of the burning houses, in spite of 
the dense cloud of smoke that now hung above the city. 
Strong, towards eleven o’clock, detected a blue light flare 
up from M. Stalvan’s official residence. 

Bomberg had surrendered. 


CHAPTER XIV 


CIVIL WAR IN ROMBERG 

“ Thank God ! thank God ! ” Strong cried, for he was 
sick of the carnage. 

The blue flame was perfectly visible at the palace, 
and, from the communications which M. Stalvan had 
made to the King during the debate. His Majesty was 
perfectly acquainted with what the blue flame meant. 
And, observing it from the palace, he cursed Strong 
roundly. 

Thereupon began civil war. 

For his part, though he was profoundly thankful 
that M. Stalvan had come to see the way of peace. 
Strong none the less wondered how he was to enter into 
peaceable possession of the city. The glare thrown 
from the burning houses was still so bright that it was 
quite possible to understand the spirit in which the city 
and the troops welcomed the blue light of surrender. 
It was obvious, too, that the populace and the soldiery 
were perfectly well aware of what the blue light signi- 
fied. And from his position in the sky Strong could 
read in what was passing beneath him an excellent les- 
son in the power of personality. 

For while the troops about the Ministry cheered, 
making no secret of their joy as they took their hel- 
mets from their heads and hoisted them upon their 
rifles, the troops stationed halfway up the main street 
were sullen in their demeanor. 

Strong put the “ Victor ” over the palace, and here 
there were no signs of surrender. Scarcely five min- 
185 


186 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


utes, indeed, after the showing of the blue light over 
the roof of the Ministry the troops about the palace 
began to move. 

The men stationed on the palace roof were with- 
drawn. The artillerymen in the courtyard began to 
limber up. The regiments of infantry, which had been 
massed in the gardens on either side of the palace, were 
falling in. The troopers of the two regiments of cav- 
alry which had been hidden in the old portion of the 
city behind the palace were ordered to their horses. 
For a few minutes Strong wondered what this might 
mean; then the motive of the movement became per- 
fectly clear. M. Stalvan was not to defy the King or 
pursue his own way unchallenged. 

So here was a pretty problem set out. For, while 
Strong practically remained master of the town, yet 
he was unable to enter into possession of it. M. Stal- 
van, as representative of the people, desired to lay 
down his arms. The King, while any troops remained 
loyal to him, refused to surrender. 

With the idea of avoiding further bloodshed, espe- 
cially the bloodshed caused by a civil war. Strong made 
several efforts to get into communication with the pal- 
ace. In this he was unsuccessful. 

So great had been the glare beneath them up to this 
point that it had been quite unnecessary for the “ Vic- 
tor ” to use her searchlights. Now, however, there 
came occasion for their use. For from the back of the 
palace, on a spur of the Morning Hills, came the spit 
of flame, and shells went screeching a couple of feet 
beneath the “ Victor’s ” hull. 

“ Anyway,” said Strong to himself with an appre- 
ciative nod, “ His Majesty is game. It is not every 
man who would fight a losing fight so boldly.” 

He put the “ Victor ” up beyond the range of guns 
and then searched the hills for the battery which had 


CIVIL WAR IN ROMBERG 


18 T 


attacked him. It was masked, but he soon located it. 
He had now half a mand to make for the hills and de- 
stroy the battery. 

He suggested this plan to Arbuthnot, but Arbuthnot 
said no, arguing that it would be folly to destroy brave 
men, who, before the day was out, would be enrolled in 
Strong’s service. So the battery on the hill was left 
in peace. 

By now there was a great movement below them, 
and, to his astonishment, Strong saw the King, dressed 
in the uniform of a general, come out of the main 
entrance of the palace. His Majesty did not deign so 
much as to glance upwards. The eyes of his troops 
and his people were upon him, and he guided his men 
entirely without fear. He acted, indeed, as though the 
sky did not hold the “ Victor,” as though his now im- 
placable enemy did not exist. 

Slowly the King walked down the steps, taking the 
salutes of his officers placidly, as though it were a 
parade. His charger was led up to him, and he 
mounted. It was the King himself who gave the or- 
ders in a sharp, decisive voice, and there began, as 
Strong readily perceived, a masterly movement of 
troops. The two regiments of cavalry were placed in 
the van of the column, which began to move down the 
hill towards the Ministry. Then came the battery of 
artillery and three regiments of foot behind. From 
the airship the aides-de-camp could be seen galloping 
about, and within a short space of time the troops sta- 
tioned in the main thoroughfare were withdrawn and 
posted at convenient distances in side streets. 

From the eastern side of the city two regiments of 
cavalry and three regiments of foot, together with three 
batteries of artillery, detached themselves from the 
army corps encamped there, and began to move in a 
wide detour to the back of the Ministry. It was ap- 


188 HE CX)NQUERED THE KAISER 


parent that the King, counting upon opposition, was 
not prepared to take any unnecessary risks, and that 
he was practically hemming the Ministry in. 

And now about the Ministry itself there arose a 
great bustle and clamor, too. The white-haired, 
white-bearded M. Stalvan came out into the forecourt 
of the great building, and, frock-coated and top-hatted, 
mounted an officer’s charger. A very tall old officer, 
with a white mustache drooping almost to his breast, 
followed him solemnly and gravely. 

Strong put the “ Victor ” down a little closer that 
he might observe the tactics of the old gentleman be- 
neath him. 

In the space between the different Ministries there 
was posted a regiment of dragoons, and it was these 
that M. Stalvan, his white beard streaming over his 
shoulders in the night breeze, first approached. At 
the outset he gathered the colonel and officers of the 
regiment about him and spoke hot words to them. At 
the end of his harangue they saluted. Then they fell 
apart, and the white-haired old Minister faced the 
troops alone. He raised himself in his stirrups, and, 
letting the bridle fall upon his horse’s neck, plunged 
into a passionate speech. 

What he said Strong could not catch, but it was 
obvious that he was working upon the troopers’ feel- 
ings, for from time to time during the old man’s address 
they forgot their discipline and cheered. Strong could 
see him waving his hands as he made a final appeal. 

Then the officers of the dragoons closed about the 
premier again, and there happened a strange thing. 
The colonel shouted certain commands, and M. Stalvan, 
placing himself at the troopers’ head, led them at a slow 
trot across the vast square. 

At different points about this space were stationed 
four regiments of infantry, and to all of these M. Stal- 
van spoke with what must have been a great flood of 


CIVIL WAR IN ROMBERG 


189 


warming words, for regiment after regiment cheered 
him. 

Meantime the long cavalcade was coming slowly 
down the hill from the palace. Then it was that M. 
Stalvan and the colonel of the dragoons held counsel 
together. They held counsel together, and one of the 
regiments of infantry was drawn up four deep across 
the entrance to the square. 

The clash soon came. 

Seeing their fellow-countrymen drawn up against 
them, the officer leading the King’s detachment halted 
his men. 

A staff officer riding forward ordered the other 
troops to give way, but he met with a defiant answer. 

Then word was taken to the King, and His Majesty 
set out himself to the scene of mutiny — for mutiny it 
was. He rode forward alone, right up to the men 
ranged against him. He spoke to them at first curtly 
and coldly, only to meet with sullen silence. Then he 
spoke to them in anger, until murmurs rose from them. 
He cursed them, and they cursed back. He swept 
aside and rode back up the hill. The operations which 
followed were swift and disastrous. The cavalry 
wheeled outwards and cleared the main thoroughfare 
by taking to the side streets. That left the opposing 
infantry facing the King’s guns. Even in the great 
width of the Grand Avenue it was a little difficult to 
wheel them about. But they came along with a crash, 
and the men began to unlimber. 

From the line of troops by the Ministry the tall old 
officer rode forward and harangued the gunners. But 
they worked sullenly on. He implored them not to 
shoot down their countrymen, but at their backs was 
the King, giving his orders in his cold, masterful voice ; 
and the men still feared the King at their backs. 

At last the tall old officer threw up his arms in 
despair, wheeled his horse, and cantered back to the 


190 HE CX)NQUERED THE KAISER 


line of troops behind him. They opened up to let him 
through. He gave his orders clearly and quickly, and 
there was a long shivering rattle of steel as the men 
fixed bayonets. The order was given to fire, and a 
sheet of flame flashed across the roadway. The gun- 
ners wilted under the Are, but the King, who was with- 
out fear, rode in among them, and such as were not 
wounded stood fast by the guns. The guns spoke, and 
the troops which fired upon the gunners were mowed 
down by the hail of shrapnel. After the second round 
there remained nothing but a mass of mangled men 
strewing the roadway. 

A bugle rang out, and the cavalry came galloping 
up from the narrow side streets, swept into the main 
thoroughfare before the guns, and charged. Their 
horses plunged over the dead and dying infantrymen, 
and then swept up into the square. 

Seeing how the battle went, M. Stalvan had mustered 
the other infantry regiments on the steps of the Min- 
istry and stationed them in the Ministry itself. From 
the roof, and from the windows, and from the long ter- 
race which ran the whole length of the great building, 
there came a thousand spurts of flame. 

The cavalry rode up to the steps of the Ministry, 
only to be received by a hail of shot. They quivered, 
wavered, and then wheeled and made back across the 
square. 

But now the artiller 3 rmen were at work again pound- 
ing shell after shell at close range into the Ministry 
itself. All the front of the great building was soon a 
ruin and in flames. 

Then the guns were silent, and a mass of infantry 
moved forward. There was desultory firing on both 
sides, cruel work with bayonets on the steps of the 
Ministry, and then comparative silence. The Ministry 
had fallen. 

The audacity of the King amazed Strong. He could 


CIVIL WAR IN ROMBERG 


191 


call to mind no instance in which a man had more reck- 
lessly faced death. 

True, of course, the King was trading upon Strong’s 
human nature. His Majesty had previously come to 
the conclusion that whatever atrocity Strong might 
commit, he would at least be innocent of attempting 
the life of a possible father-in-law, and the boldness of 
this move delighted Strong. He laughed a little to 
himself to think of it, and cudgeled his brains for the 
proper word for father-in-law-cide. 

Strong now approached a little nearer to the earth 
and, having waited for a short time at the elevation of 
about a thousand feet, he presently heard a movement 
in the space beneath him. And then the King came 
stalking down the shot-riddled steps of the Ministry 
as cool and collected, as solitary and as morose as ever. 

With the aid of his glasses Strong could see the old 
premier, white-haired and shaking, follow the King to 
his horse, and even at that great height it was possible 
to understand that His Majesty was raining bitter 
words upon the premier’s aged head. 

His Majesty mounted his charger and moved across 
the square, his staff and the cavalry falling in behind 
him ; so they clattered across the open space and up 
the long main street. 

The troops were then withdrawn from the Ministry 
and stacked arms in the square. The wounded had been 
removed, and but for the bustle about the burning 
buildings the city was more or less still. 

The cordon of troops had been extended so that the 
center of the town was practically isolated, and if in 
the minor streets of it and on the edge of it people ran 
frenziedly up and down, jabbering and waving their 
hands and screeching, that did not in any way affect 
the general situation. 

Strong nursed the patience he had for half an hour ; 
then he once more picked up the wireleiss instrument 


192 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


and endeavored to enter into communication with the 
Ministry, which had first of all surrendered to him and 
afterwards defied him at the bidding of the King. He 
ticked for some time without response, but at last an 
answer came. 

Strong demanded shortly what M. Stalvan proposed 
to do. 

The answer that M. Stalvan gave staggered him. 

“ I have,” was the answer, “ instructions from His 
Majesty to surrender the Ministry to you in half an 
hour’s time. His Majesty laid no restrictions upon my 
course of action after sixty minutes should have elapsed 
from the time of his departure. Thirty minutes have 
now gone by.” 

Strong was taken aback by this reply, and to gain 
time he ticked as follows : 

“ You have already surrendered the city and the 
country once.” 

And while he still puzzled, the answer came back. 
“ I regret that the first submission should not have 
been final. It was none of my seeking that it was of a 
temporary nature.” 

Strong allowed so many minutes to elapse without 
making any answer to this, that he himself received a 
query as to whether he were still attending to the in- 
strument. 

He had still been able to form no understanding of 
what this latest move portended, but, realizing that 
action was an imperative necessity, he demanded to 
know in what manner the city and the state were to be 
surrendered to him. 

Again the reply amazed him. 

“ Our submission,” M. Stalvan answered, “ is com- 
plete. The Ministers and the deputies of the House of 
Representatives of the People — such, indeed, as remain 
of them — are gathered here with me. We shall be 
prepared in half an hour’s time to receive you in the 


CIVIL WAR IN ROMBERG 


193 


Chamber of Deputies, where we shall, of course, be 
compelled to accept whatever terms you make.” 

Now this, again, was perplexing. 

Strong wondered to what lengths M. Stalvan’s pa- 
triotism might carry him. Was it a lure, this move, 
designed to entrap him.? 

True, he could descend in the “ Di,” leaving the 

Victor ” to cover his movements, but at the same time 
M. Stalvan and the rest of the deputies might be quite 
prepared to face death in their determination to cap- 
ture him. 

In his perplexity, therefore. Strong ticked off a state- 
ment as follows : 

‘‘ It would ill become me to stipulate for my personal 
safety, because, were I to do so, it would be casting 
reflections upon your honor. At the same time, I would 
make it perfectly clear to you that in visiting the 
Chamber of Deputies and receiving from you the reins 
of government, I am relying absolutely upon your per- 
sonal honor and the honor of your Ministers and the 
other representatives of the people to respect to the 
utmost my personal safety. Again, while it would ill 
become me to make threats of any description, I would 
none the less point out that should any evil befall me, 
my friends will have strict orders to destroy every man, 
woman, and child in Romberg. If I myself fail in my 
attempt to steal the earth, there are those remaining 
who will see to it that my work is not left uncompleted.” 

The answer which came was, “We have an entire 
understanding of the situation.” 

Strong allowed another ten minutes to elapse before 
he ordered Arbuthnot to bring the “ Di ” alongside the 
“ Victor.” Then he turned and spoke to the other men. 
He informed them briefly of what he was about to do, 
and expressed confident belief that all would go well. 
“ At the same time,” he concluded, “ it is just possible 
that M. Stalvan may play me false. In that case, I 


194 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


should like to know what you propose to do.’^ He 
looked swiftly at every man, but at the last he kept his 
gaze fixed on Langley. 

There was no fear in Langley’s face, but his hand 
was shaking as he stretched it out to Strong. 

“ If any other man,” said Langley, “ had been guilty 
of the acts that you have committed this night, I don’t 
suppose that any one of us here would have forgiven 
him — but we forgive you. Moreover — and I think 
I speak for all of us — we are as much devoted to your 
cause as ever. Should any harm befall you, should 
you fail to reappear within half an hour, you may leave 
the rest to us. I promise you that there shall not re- 
main one stick or stone upon another in Romberg before 
night comes down again.” 

“ And the princess ? ” said Strong. 

‘‘ For the princess,” said Langley, “ you need have 
no fear. We will see, at least, that the palace remains 
untouched, and if there is any attempt made to wreak 
vengeance on the King of Balkania and his family, we 
will defend him from all attacks even at our own peril.” 

Thank you,” said Strong, quite simply, and having 
shaken hands with Langley, he nodded to the rest of 
the men, and stepped into the ‘‘ Di.” 

He and Arbuthnot went down. It was evident that 
a great change had been wrought in the spirit of the 
troops below them. Strong’s actions through the night 
had been ruthless in the extreme, but the very thor- 
oughness of their brutality had brought him the ad- 
miration of the men who had vainly struggled against 
him. It was evident that the star of the King was set- 
ting, and that they welcomed Strong as a man who, 
if he had treated them cruelly and without pity, would 
be at least a great asset to the state. They could not 
fight against him, and therefore they thought it better 
to have him on their side. 


CIVIL WAR IN ROMBERG 


195 


As the “ Di ” floated down to the steps of the Cham- 
ber, there arose cheering from every side. 

To Arbuthnot Strong gave certain sharp orders, 
and then, stepping out of the ‘‘ Di,” he walked up the 
broad stone steps. Two officers met him and saluted. 
Then they led the way within, and Strong was con- 
ducted through the vast hall, lighted by hundreds of lit- 
tle electric lights, which gleamed against the gilding of 
the dome. 

The two officers led him through a further passage 
until they came to the doors of the Chamber itself, and 
there they bowed and stood on one side to allow him to 
pass. And so Strong, with a little jerk of his head 
which was his habit when he found himself forced to 
face danger, passed into the Chamber alone. 

The Chamber was a vast circular place round which 
were set several score of desks. At these, on leather- 
covered seats, sat the deputies. On the farther side 
from which Strong entefred was a raised dais, on which 
stood M. Stalvan and a gentleman who was presumably 
the President of the Chamber. Behind the dais was the 
throne. A dozen wide, crimson-carpeted steps led u^ 
to it, and on it was set, beneath a canopy, a great gold- 
legged and gold-backed chair. 

There was a great hush over the place as Strong 
entered, and all the deputies rose up in silence to re- 
ceive him. Strong cast a quick glance about him, 
stepped forward, and walked on till he came to the cen- 
ter of the Chamber. There he stood for a moment and 
bowed to M. Stalvan. M. Stalvan moved down from 
the dais and walked to meet him. He carried his hat 
in his hand and bowed repeatedly as he approached 
Strong. Then, in a very pleasant, level voice, speaking 
in French, he requested Strong to follow him. 

Strong marched forward with the quick, firm stride 
of a man who knows that he has won. He mounted 


196 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


the steps of the throne without further hesitation, and, 
turning about, bowed to the right, straight before him 
and to the left of him, and then took his seat on the 
gold-legged, gold-backed chair. 

There was a great silence, and all the deputies re- 
mained standing. M. Stalvan, with his white beard, 
fluttered at the foot of the steps of the throne. Then 
the old man turned about, and the pleasantness of his 
voice was lost in his effort to make himself clearly heard 
in every corner of the vast building. 

‘‘ Gentlemen,” he cried, “ it is my duty to introduce 
to you M. Strong, the man who has battered and blud- 
geoned us into accepting him as our ruler. His Maj- 
esty the King of Balkania has not abdicated, and de- 
clines to abdicate. 

“ On the other hand, he is conscious that it would be 
laying a burden upon this country greater than it 
could bear if he were to deny us the right of making 
peace with M. Strong. M. Strong, I am sure, will not 
take it amiss when I say that naturally we cannot re- 
gard him with very friendly feelings. We are his 
beaten enemy. That we should have been his enemy 
was none of our seeking. We were not consulted in the 
matter ; and when we attempted to urge our claims, our 
claims were steadily ignored. 

‘‘ It seems to me, however, that it would be useless 
any longer to deny the right, born of might, which M. 
Strong has gained to dictate our destinies. M. Strong 
has proved that single-handed he can defeat the state, 
and though we may not welcome him as a ruler, at least 
for our own sakes, for the sake of our peace, for the 
sake of our homes, for the sake of our men, for the sake 
of our women, and for the sake of our children, it ap- 
pears best that we should put from us our pride and 
accept him as the man who shall put us right with the 
Powers of the earth. 

“ I therefore ask you, gentlemen, in the name of my 


CIVIL WAR IN BOMBERG 


19T 


country, disregarding all action which His Majesty 
may take, to consider M. Strong as Dictator of BaL 
kania.” 

Strong felt the chill of the silence that greeted the 
speech and shook himself. Then he rose up to speak, 
and he also chose, as M. Stalvan had done, to speak in 
French. 

“ M. Stalvan and gentlemen,” he said, probably 
no man in the history of the world ever found himself in 
a more extraordinary position than this. I confess 
that for many months now it has been my fixed inten- 
tion to stand here. The reasons which compelled this 
decision are, I believe, now public property, and it is 
needless for me to dwell on them. I regret for your 
sakes that it should have been necessary for me to 
possess myself of the kingdom, but, having the means 
whereby to achieve that end, I saw no reason why I 
should hold my hand. I have not held my hand. I 
have not spared you, and if there should arise in the 
future any one who disputes my authority, I will not 
spare you again. You have suffered much, and I can- 
not expect you, as M. Stalvan has pointed out, to re- 
gard me with very friendly feelings. I have laid waste 
your city, and I have killed your fellow-countrymen. 
It may sound a poor thing to say that I will make 
amends. None the less, I pledge my word that I will not 
only make amends, but great amends. Just as I have 
made myself Dictator of Balkania, so I wiU make Bal- 
kania Dictator of the world. For months I have been 
laughed at for my boast that I would steal the earth, 
but now the peoples of the earth no longer laugh. 

“ I will,” Strong continued in louder tones, “ steal 
the earth, but I will only steal it to give it into your 
hands — but not into your hands alone. For — and 
this must be my greatest plea for your consideration 
— I purpose to make an alliance with the Princess 
Diana, which I sincerely trust may to some extent soften 


198 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


jour hearts towards me, and enable me in the end to 
atone for what I admit is the great wrong I have done 
jou. Yet, when the history of Balkania comes to be 
written I trust that it will be conceded that the wrong 
was not so great as it now appears. I have no desire 
to shed blood ; I have no desire to destroy life ; I have 
no desire to lay waste even the smallest and the humblest 
of dwellings. We are told that out of evil shall come 
good. Out of this great evil I will see to it that there 
shall come great good. When I have made you mas- 
ters of the world it shall be my first business to see that 
the world lays down its arms, and that from the 
scenes of carnage which have seared your hearts and 
minds this night, there shall arise'a spirit of peace which 
shall enfold the earth.” 

As Strong finished his speech he bowed once more 
to the left of him and to the right of him, and then 
resumed his seat. 

But even now the silence of the deputies was un- 
broken. Still, there arose not one murmur of either 
approval or dissent. The deputies were as men who 
had been numbed. 

So Strong sat facing the deputies for some five sec- 
onds, and then the end of the silence came. 

One of the deputies on the left dashed forward from 
his seat, shrieking, “ You are a despoiler of my coun- 
try ! ” Before any hand could be raised to stay him, 
he drew a revolver from his pocket and fired almost 
point-blank at Strong. The bullet sang past Strong’s 
ear and buried itself in the draperies of the canopy. 

Strong never flinched. Half a dozen hands seized 
the deputy and bore him back, and it is doubtful if 
some ill would not have befallen the shrieking man if 
Strong had not cried, “ Let him be — it is nothing.” 

M. Stalvan stood at the foot of the throne waving 
his hat to and fro and uttering a flood of exclamation. 
But it was not on him that Strong’s gaze was fixed. 


CIVIL WAR IN ROMBERG 


199 


At the great door on the further side he saw Arbuth- 
not — Arbuthnot, with news written large upon his 
face. He halted and looked about him for a second, 
as if hesitating to disturb Strong’s parley with the 
deputies. But his hesitation was only momentary. He 
came on again, crossed the Chamber at a dog-trot, and, 
disregarding the angry glances and the murmurs that 
greeted him, ran up the steps of the throne and whis- 
pered into Strong’s ear. 


CHAPTER XV 


A KING IN FLIGHT 

The stress of the past few days had worn the King’s 
courage down, until at last his weakness stood exposed ; 
and in his weakness he avenged his humiliation and de- 
feat upon those who were weaker than himself. Nor 
was his daughter the least of these. 

The King treated Diana only as a brute could have 
treated her. He caged her in her rooms and set sol- 
diers, not only in the corridor, but in her apartments. 
Above all, and this was the crowning insult to Diana, he 
set the ody and offensive Kowchoffski in command of 
her guards. 

So Diana chafed as a prisoner, a prisoner of her 
father, who, she was slowly coming to realize, had no 
claim on her affections or her duty. 

True, the King left her the little wireless instrument, 
but that was not for her sake, but for his. He knew 
that should anything arise which would make negotia- 
tions of the slightest avail, he would be dependent on 
Diana for the conduct of them. 

From her rooms at the back of the palace Diana 
could hear the noise of the conflict in the city, and as 
night came she could clearly see the glare which had 
followed on the almost constant explosions. It was 
indeed a most horrible and hopeless situation to be in. 
The only means of assistance, the only consolation that 
she could find lay in prayer. From time to time she 
prayed a little. 

Meantime the King had hedged himself about with 
200 


A KING IN FLIGHT 


^01 

an icy rage. It was easy for him to see, as he paced 
about the palace, that even his court was no longer on 
his side. Only the savageness of his manner, indeed, 
prevented active demonstrations of the ill favor in 
which he was now held. As the night wore on he could 
see defeat encompassing him on every side, and he knew 
well enough that he was a beaten man before he made 
the sortie; but he decided for two reasons on retaking 
the Ministry which had surrendered to Strong. 

First he desired to gain breathing space, and, sec- 
ond, he was planning a certain way of escape; for he 
could no longer blink the fact that flight was the only 
way which now was open to him. 

It was, indeed, with this idea at the back of his 
mind that he had stipulated with M. Stalvan in the 
battered Ministry that he should wait for another hour 
before finally surrendering to Strong. The mortifica- 
tion which His Majesty suffered in making even this 
stipulation was great — so great that a little portion 
of his brain seemed to be becoming numb with sheer 
hate and anger. 

But he comforted himself in some degree with the 
trite refiection that “ He who fights and runs away 
may live to fight another day ” ; and he saw that, even 
if he were compelled to leave the reins of government to 
his enemy, at least he would be free to intrigue, and that 
so long as he retained breath he would be able to set 
Europe by the ears and keep the world in a state of 
bewilderment, unrest and war. 

When, therefore, he came back from the Ministry 
he stalked straight up to Diana’s room, ordering Lud- 
wig to follow him. He entered Diana’s sitting-room 
without so much as the formality of a knock. He 
would not even have ordered the guards to withdraw 
but for the necessity of keeping what he had to say 
between himself and his daughter. 

He spoke to her roughly, almost coarsely, treating 


^02 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


her as an enemy rather than a girl who had sought to do 
her best for him. 

“ I should be a fool,” he said, ‘‘ if I did not admit 
that for the time your dear friend, Mr. Strong, has 
triumphed. Though I come near to choking on the 
words, I have to confess that it is necessary for me to 
leave Romberg.” 

Diana stared at him with a white face and feverish 
eyes. 

“ But,” the King went on, “ it will not be by the 
way in which Mr. Strong hopes, for the war balloon, 
thank Heaven! is sufficiently far advanced for us to 
make a flight before dawn. And the war balloon shall 

fly.” 

Diana still stared at him in silence and her silence 
nettled him. “You do not ask — ” he said, “you do 
not care whither we may be forced to go.” 

“ I have nothing to say,” said Diana. 

“ I presume, of course,” the King went on, “ that 
you, with your wonderful sense of duty, will see fit to 
accompany me.?^ Even now I should be regretful to use 
force, but if you will not come with me voluntarily, 
then I shall be compelled to use other means.” 

Diana only sighed and shrugged her shoulders apa- 
thetically. 

“ Further than this,” the King went on, “ I do not 
intend to tell you anything, although I may say this 
' — that it is possible we may come to grips with Mr. 
Strong in mid-air. I will now beg you to accompany 
me.” 

Diana rose like one in a dream and walked a little 
unsteadily after her father. 

Ludwig was hanging about the end of the passage, 
and he followed the King and his daughter down the 
stairway, His Majesty leading the way into one of the 
many side corridors. He made for an entrance in the 
courtyard at the rear of the palace, where was the lodge 


A KING IN FLIGHT 


20S 


in which Strong had waited on the night when Captain 
Petroff had brought him to Bomberg. Here, just with- 
out the gates, was one of Bombcrg’s ordinary ram- 
shackle cabs. 

The King opened the door and motioned to Diana to 
enter. Then he stepped in himself and called to Lud- 
wig to follow, and immediately the cab, drawn by a swift 
horse from the King’s stables, began to rattle over the 
cobbles of the smaller streets of the town. They made 
a wide detour and, judging only by the position of the 
fires, which were still starting up into the night, Diana 
guessed they were working their way round the back of 
the Ministry to the outer edge of the southern part of 
the town. 

In this she was right. She began to wonder what 
their destination might be, when she realized with a 
slight shock that the rough cobbles had been exchanged 
for grass, and that they were in fact now traveling 
across the sward of the Bomberg balloon ground. The 
cab halted, and the King assisted Diana to alight. 

A soft glow as of dawn illuminated the ground, but 
the actual light came from the many fires still raging in 
the city. As the King turned about Diana became 
aware of the presence of a man whom she particularly 
detested. This was a certain Colonel Conrad, a tall, 
dark man whom she always suspected of villainy, but 
who, to her invariable astonishment, seemed carefully, 
not to say unctuously, to walk in the paths of rectitude 
and duty. This forbidding-looking officer saluted the 
King without a flicker of surprise upon his face, and 
Diana guessed that Colonel Conrad expected them. 

When her eyes had grown accustomed to the new 
half-light, she perceived that there was a thin cordon of 
troops stationed round the balloon ground. Moreover, 
the gates were strongly guarded. In the center of the 
ground lay the great ellipse-shaped basket of the bal- 
loon, the completion of which the King had been hurry- 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


ing forward for the last forty-eight hours, and above 
the basket, the huge, cigar-shaped gas-bag was slowly 
filling. 

To her surprise, Diana noticed that at either end of 
the elliptical basket had been fastened a small gun, and 
her knowledge of military affairs was sufficient to tell 
her that they were Maxims. So great was the pull on 
the balloon that the basket was hung thickly with sand- 
bags. Presently it became obvious even to Diana that 
the balloon was ready for flight. Then a strange and 
disturbing incident came to pass. 

Foremost among the men who labored upon the bal- 
loon was a great shock-headed giant who had worked 
with a sort of savage joy, as though every ounce of 
energy he extracted from himself gave him a real and 
keen delight. But though he had worked on to the end 
with energy and skill, Diana had noted that his face had 
begun to assume, first an air of doubt, and then an as- 
pect of active and resentful suspicion. Suddenly he 
drew to one side and called the other men to him, and 
they clustered about him as those used to obeying the 
call of a leader. After a few fierce and rapid words to 
his fellow-workers, he stepped up to Colonel Conrad, 
clicked his heels together, and saluted. 

‘‘ Colonel,” he said, ‘‘ my mates and I work for the 
good of the Fatherland. We have worked because His 
Majesty has assured us that this balloon with its guns 
must defeat the airship of the Englishman, who has 
only shells with him. We desire to see the Englishman 
defeated, and we wonder how the battle will be fought, 
and how it will go. But we wonder more than this — 
we wonder why ” — and here the man saluted again — 
‘‘ why the Princess Diana is present.” 

“ Yours,” said Colonel Conrad, sharply, is not the 
business of wondering but the business of doing. Get 
to your work.” 

“ Yes,” cried the shock-headed man, “ I would go 


A KING IN FLIGHT 


205 


to my work gladly ; but, as I have said, we work for the 
Fatherland, and we work no more until we have assur- 
ance that His Majesty intends to do battle and not to 
fly.” 

The King, having heard the conversation, stepped 
forward and spoke in tones of cold command. “ You 
have a right to ask,” he said to the shock-headed man, 
‘‘ but you and your fellow-workers are fools. I have 
pledged my word to fight, and I shall fight. I shall 
fight to the bitter end. If you wonder why I have 
brought the princess here, I see no reason why I should 
not tell you, though it is insolent of you to doubt me. 
The princess is here because, obviously, if I go in mid- 
air to fight the Englishman I cannot leave my daughter 
in the palace. She is safer here in your keeping, in the 
charge of Colonel Conrad, than she would be exposed in 
the citadel of our country, which must presently fall 
under the shells of the foreigner.” 

The shock-headed man was a little disconcerted. 
He bowed in a clumsy way, twisting his cap in his 
hands. 

“ Pardon me, Your Majesty,” he said, ‘‘ pardon me.” 

His Majesty then went forward and took command 
of the operations himself. 

The balloon was fitted with a petrol engine, which 
drove a propeller both at the bow and at the stern. 
Ludwig, whose motoring instincts had stood him in good 
stead during the building of the balloon, was curtly 
ordered by the King to take his seat in the car and 
assume control of the engine and of the huge rudder 
which stretched out like a sail at the stern of the car. 

Two men, who were specially picked expert gunners, 
the King also ordered into the basket. Then he stood 
beside the balloon and superintended the removal of 
the sandbags which held her down. As the bags de- 
creased in number, so the men on the ropes which held 
the balloon to the ground were multiplied, and now the 


S06 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


balloon swayed gently on the ground, held only to the 
earth by the men hauling on the ropes. 

It was then that the King stepped into the car himself 
and, leaning over the edge, beckoned to Diana to ap- 
proach. She drew near, wondering what her father 
might have to say. He took her by the hands and drew 
her face close to his, and, to her utmost surprise, kissed 
her on the forehead. 

“ Good-by, little girl,” he said, “ for a while.” 

Then he released one of her hands and cast off a 
couple more of the bags. The balloon lifted slowly 
from the ground. The men were still hauling on the 
ropes, and the shock-headed man stood by Colonel Con- 
rad with a puzzled face. The balloon rose another two 
inches. Then the air gripped her, and she began to lift 
slowly but surely. 

The men on the ropes were struggling for foothold, 
deeming it necessary still to keep the balloon down, 
seeing that the King retained one of Diana’s hands. 
But the balloon lifted again, and then, swift and strong 
as a panther, the King leaned over the side, and, with 
a snarl, drew Diana to him, caught her under the arms, 
and lifted her from her feet. 

The shock-headed man dashed forward with a cry, 
and the other men, startled, relaxed their hold on the 
ropes, so that the balloon rose nearly a yard. 

By sheer force the King lifted Diana from her feet 
bodily over the edge of the car and set her down. The 
shock-headed man now had his hands on the rim of the 
basket, and was howling blasphemies over the edge of 
the car. 

The King, however, did not hesitate for a second. 
He hit the fellow square between the eyes, and the man 
dropped like a log. There arose a great outcry from 
the men at the ropes. 

Diana’s additional weight brought the car down a 
few inches, and seeing that the men still held fast — all 


A KING IN FLIGHT 


207 


the faster because they were black with rage — he drew 
that long-nosed Smith and Wesson, which had ac- 
counted for his enemy on the Thames, and deliberately 
fired at the foremost man who held the ropes at the 
stern of the balloon. So short was the range that the 
man fell with his face half battered in, and his compan- 
ions, with sharp cries, released their hold upon the ropes. 

The balloon shot up, and it was as she rose, amid 
the chorus of curses from the men below, that Arbuth- 
not ran up the steps of the throne in the Chamber of 
Deputies and whispered into Strong’s ear. 

It took Arbuthnot but half a dozen sentences in 
which to tell Strong of the King of Balkania’s escape. 
Arbuthnot himself had received the news from the 
‘‘ Victor ” by wireless. 

It required the nimble-minded Strong several mo- 
ments to decide what he should say, but when he had 
made up his mind he made the deputies another little 
bow and began to speak again in rapid French. 

“ M. Stalvan and gentlemen,” he said, “ I regret to 
inform you that the late King of Balkania has decided 
to leave his kingdom. I am informed by my friend 
here that His Majesty is even now escaping in the dir- 
igible balloon which, I believe, he gave every one to un- 
derstand would be the means of Balkania’s salvation.” 

There were exclamations of surprise and disgust, 
which Strong instantly quieted with an uplifted hand. 

“ Gentlemen,” he continued, “ the late King’s actions 
concern you no more. But they concern me, and there- 
fore they concern the State, and it is my immediate duty 
to pursue His Majesty, and, if possible, bring him back. 
It will be unfortunate if this man is permitted to stalk 
the earth stirring up strife when our hands are already 
full. For a while, therefore,” he went on, ‘‘ I must 
leave you, but my absence, I trust, will be short. I am 
convinced that till I return the administration of the 
country will be most ably carried on by M. Stalvan 


S08 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


and his confreres, I therefore beg your leave to with- 
draw.” 

On the steps of the chamber Strong turned and spoke 
to M. Stalvan hurriedly. “ First,” he said, “ you will 
put the city in order as best you may. So long as 
there is no revolt against my rule during my absence 
there will be no reprisals on my part. But if any 
unruly members of the Government should take it as 
a maxim that ‘ when the cat’s away the mice may play,’ 
they will find it an extremely bad proverb on which to 
found a course of action. Any liberties that are taken 
will be duly dealt with on my return. Apart from the 
restoring of the city to order, I desire the whole of the 
army to be mobilized and concentrated on Bomberg. 
Any representations made from other Powers must be 
referred to me, and if an answer is pressed for you 
must reply that you can take no steps till my return.” 

M. Stalvan bowed and sighed a little. 

Then Strong gripped the premier’s trembling hand in 
his own great fist and walked out into the sunshine. 
For it was already broad day. 

Arbuthnot and he climbed into the Di ” and in a 
few seconds they were alongside the “ Victor.” 

Strong got into the larger airship without a word, 
and, picking up his glasses, proceeded to search for 
the dirigible balloon. Langley pointed it out to him in 
silence. It had already risen to the height of about 
2000 feet, and, thanks to a strong easterly wind, was 
about ten miles distant. 

It was not possible, even with the aid of glasses, 
to make out what was happening on board the balloon, 
and Strong, having given Arbuthnot certain instruc- 
tions as to keeping the “ Di ” over Bomberg, turned 
the “ Victor ” about and made after his disappearing 
enemy. 

It took them but a short time to pick up the bal- 


A KING IN FLIGHT 


209 


loon, but in the interval Langley informed Strong of all 
that they had seen happen on the balloon ground. Of 
course, it had not been possible to overhear any con- 
versation, but when Strong heard of Diana’s struggle 
with her father the blood surged up into his face. 

“ At least,” he said to himself, “ I will teach that 
scoundrel manners,” 

When they had come to within a mile or so of the 
balloon Strong realized that, although he held the upper 
hand so far as mechanical advantage went, that advan- 
tage availed him little. For while he could sail round 
the balloon he could practically do nothing to arrest 
her flight. 

He put the “ Victor ” down to the airship’s level, 
and set out for her at a good speed ; but when they had 
come within about 500 yards of her. Strong could see 
the men busy at her stem, and to his astonishment ob- 
served them bring the Maxim gun round and train it 
on the Victor.” 

Then he took up the wireless instrument and called 
on the King to surrender, but he received no reply, 
Diana sat amidships in the balloon, with her face buried 
in her hands. Ludwig was at the steering gear, and the 
King was aft superintending the training of the Maxim. 

But the menace of the gun did not disconcert Strong. 
He watched the loading of the piece and watched the 
men making their aim more certain. He brought the 
“ Victor ” down to a rate of progress no faster than 
that of the balloon, and he kept the airship zigzagging 
in her course as best he could in order to destroy the 
certainty of the Maxim’s aim. 

It was then that Langley jogged Strong’s elbow. 

Don’t be a fool,” he said quickly. “ Just consider 
what you would do if you were in that balloon. If 
they Are we shall be swept by a hail of bullets. They 
may cripple us or they may not, but in any case there 


210 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


is a very excellent chance of you or me, or any of us, 
being killed, and an absolute certainty of having the 
hull riddled with shot.” 

Realizing the force of Langley’s argument. Strong 
suddenly sent the “ Victor ” up. 

It was none too soon. The bullets from the Maxim 
passed in a shrieking stream just beneath them. The 
gun at the stern of the balloon was lifted still more, 
and it was only the speed at which the “ Victor ” was 
ascending that saved them from disaster. 

Strong set his jaw and put the “ Victor ” dead over 
the balloon, so that the great silk bag intervened be- 
tween the airship and the occupants of the King’s car. 
Then he went aft and sat down and endeavored to 
puzzle out what he had better do. For assuredly the 
King held the trump-card. He held Diana; and once 
again Strong realized with anger that His Majesty was 
using his daughter as a shield. 

It was all very well to inveigh against the King for 
a coward, but at the same time it was a matter of tac- 
tics, and Strong was forced to admit that the King’s 
tactics were masterly and complete. True, a shell 
would have settled the whole matter; and had not 
Diana been in the balloon, it is quite certain that Strong 
would have dealt with the King once and for all. But, 
as it was, to drop a shell was impossible. 

The Balkanian frontier had now been passed, and 
Austria was slipping away beneath them, and Strong, 
for the moment, being unable to find any solution to 
the difficult problem with which he was confronted, fell 
to wondering for what place the King of Balkania might 
be making. 

With Langley he worked out the course which they 
were now pursuing, and, drawing a line dead across the 
map of Europe, Strong discovered with a start that 
they were making a straight course for Paris. If Paris 
were their objective it would take the balloon some 


A KING IN FLIGHT 


m 


fifty hours to make the trip. It was then Tuesday, 
which meant that if Paris were the goal the capital of 
France could not be reached till about noon on Thurs- 
day, and then only if the wind did not veer round to 
the west. 

The thought of Paris became a dread to Strong, for 
he would be unable to follow the King’s movements there 
without the assistance of the “ Di.” That would leave 
Bomberg unwatched. Still, there was no help for it. 
Strong sent for the “ Di ” by wireless, and shortly aft- 
erwards the little craft leaped up from the horizon. 

Lying above at a convenient distance. Strong was 
well able to observe what passed in the balloon. To- 
wards the afternoon the King, Colonel Conrad and 
Diana had made a sort of picnic meal in the stern. 
And it made Strong’s heart ache to see that Diana ate 
but little. 

As seven o’clock drew near the light began to fade, 
and Strong judged that they were then just north of 
the Turkish frontier and Croatia. Darkness came down 
swiftly, and for the first time that it had been neces- 
sary to use it, the searchlight of the Victor ” played 
upon the balloon below. Strong saw that its intense 
light dazzled the occupants of the balloon, and out of 
consideration for Diana he lifted the light a little so 
that it only gleamed upon the great cigar-shaped gas- 
bag. 

Towards ten o’clock he let the light down again 
upon the car and saw that Diana lay wrapped up in 
rugs and apparently asleep. The King was still awake. 
So they went on through the night, and Strong chafed 
greatly at the delay. In a freshening breeze the bal- 
loon labored pretty heavily, but, thanks to the power- 
ful propellers and the capacity of the steering gear, 
she hung well on to her course, and Strong was satisfied 
that she must make Paris. 

It wai^ impossible that if Paris were the objective 


212 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


they could all of them keep awake during the fifty hours 
or so which the journey would occupy. So he ar- 
ranged the men in watches, taking the first trick him- 
self, and ordering Langley to rouse him- an hour past 
midnight. 

It was the most distracting and tiresome run that 
Strong ever remembered, nor was it altogether an easy 
one, for towards eleven o’clock they were encompassed 
in a great belt of clouds, and for a little while they lost 
sight of the balloon. 

But an hour later Strong, still having hung to the 
old course and kept the ‘‘ Victor ” down to about thirty 
miles an hour, found the balloon was quite close to 
them when the clouds lifted. The air was icy cold 
above the glaciers, but of this they took little heed. 
What astonished Strong more than anything was that 
the balloon had risen almost to the level of the Vic- 
tor,” and he estimated that the King must have de- 
nuded the balloon of most of its ballast. The clumsy 
concern, however, forged ahead steadily, if compara- 
tively slowly, and at about one o’clock in the afternoon 
was sailing practically due northwest, mid-way between 
Zurich and Lucerne. 

The second night was passed much as the previous 
night had been. The searchlight of the Victor ” 
continued to play on the bag of the balloon. Diana 
lay huddled up in blankets and apparently asleep. 
Strong admired the iron constitution of the King, which 
enabled him to sit from day to day silently in the stern 
sheets of the car. 

At seven o’clock the next morning the position of 
affairs was much the same as ever, and the utter help- 
lessness of his situation cut Strong to the quick. With 
her helm jammed down the balloon still lumbered on 
with her nose half into the wind, making surely and 
steadily for Paris. And so hour after hour he was 
compelled to hover above the King’s course, wondering 


A KING IN FLIGHT 


21S 


what might be His Majesty’s goal and how he could 
reach Diana when the balloon finally fetched up. 

Shortly before seven in the evening the balloon passed 
over Basel. The day was wet and squally, and from 
time to time the “ Victor ” lost sight of the enemy, but 
as the clouds cleared they picked her up again. So 
they moved on to the gathering d*arkness. 

The night set in thickly, and Strong found it neces- 
sary to keep in as close touch as he could with the 
balloon. But at times, in spite of the powerful search- 
light of the “ Victor,” they lost their quarry. It was 
indeed a night which required the alertness and atten- 
tion of all. The watch and watch system had to be 
abandoned. From dark to dawn Langley sat at the 
steering gear, while Strong and the rest of the men 
searched the blackness, fearful lest they should lose 
track of the balloon. 

At sun-up the clouds lifted and the day broke clear 
and fine. And shortly after six o’clock Strong guessed 
that the town over which they were passing was Chatil- 
lon. As though to aid tKe King, the wind had shifted 
still more to the northward, and the balloon was making 
good speed, so that shortly after nine o’clock Strong, 
through his glasses, was able to observe the dim mass 
of Paris in the distance. 

At about ten o’clock Ludwig put the balloon up into 
the wind a little, and it became apparent to Strong 
that the King was making for the northern boundaries 
of the French capital. But it was not till close on noon 
that he realized that their precise destination must be 
the Bois de Boulogne. 

Paris awoke to its latest sensation. 

Strong and the other men, however, were too busy 
to waste time in peering through their glasses at any 
commotion their appearance might cause below. They 
realized that the journey must have come pretty nigh 
to an end when they floated over the Alice de Long- 


214 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 

champs. Here the balloon’s helm was put up a trifle 
so that she might cross the lake, and then it was obvi- 
ous that the long chase was at an end, for the balloon 
was put right-about and head into the wind above the 
clearing which lies between the lake and La Muette. 
Slowly they put her down, the “ Victor ” hanging 
hawkwise overhead. 

Then it was that Wildney uttered a little cry. For 
through his glasses he had detected a big red motorcar 
creeping along the Allee des Fortifications, the occu- 
pants of which were patently interested in the occu- 
pants of the balloon. 

Strong swore a little under his breath. He said 
aloud, “If that car is for His Majesty, we shall have 
the very deuce in tracking them.” As he spoke the 
balloon fell quivering to the earth. A crowd of people 
who had been rapidly gathering rushed towards her, 
and the motorcar shot forward and turned up towards 
the clearing. “ That car,” said Strong, with convic- 
tion, “ will take them into Paris, and our only hope of 
following their course through the streets lies in the 
^ Di.’ ” So he signaled to Arbuthnot to put alongside 
the “ Victor.” 

Even while Strong climbed from the “ Victor ” into 
the “ Di ” a hundred hands pulled the balloon down and 
held her fast, and there rose from the Bois a hubbub of 
voices. 

Strong sat with Arbuthnot in the “ Di,” watchful 
and alert. His glasses never left his eyes, and he was 
forced to admire the delightful calm of the King. 
Even from that height Strong could see that His 
Majesty left the answers of all queries and all the 
practical details which arise on the descent of a balloon 
to Colonel Conrad. 


CHAPTER XVI 


PARIS AND SOME PERILS 

The King himself helped his- daughter out of the basket 
and forced his way through the press to the car. 

He bundled Diana into the motor car, then, entering 
the tonneau himself, slammed the door. Men, women 
and children gathered round and hurled a thousand 
questions at him; but the King paid no heed. He 
merely leaned forward and whispered in the chauffeur’s 
ear. The chauffeur nodded, and the car shot forward, 
scattering the people right and left as it made for the 
Porte de la Muette. 

Strong was after the car like an owl after a mouse; 
but it was he wha was to be the blind one in the chase. 
The car dashed down the Avenue Henri Martin, and, 
keeping at about two hundred feet overhead, it was easy 
enough to follow the course of the King, though the 
passage of this wide thoroughfare to the Place du 
Trocadero occupied but a few seconds. 

But here the car turned sharply to the left, making 
up the Rue Boissiere, and for a moment Strong, check- 
ing the ‘‘ Di ” above the Musee Guiniet, lost sight of the 
King. Thinking, however, that His Majesty was not 
doubling back for a serious purpose, but merely trying 
to mislead him. Strong jumped the “ Di ” up and caught 
sight of the car turning to the right down the Rue de 
Lubeck. And his suspicions were confirmed when the 
car turned to the right again, shooting down the Rue 
Freycinet and subsequently turning into the Rue Pierre 
Charron. 


215 


gl6 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Apparently His Majesty thought that by twisting 
through these comparatively narrow streets he would 
throw Strong off the scent, for the car went at a more 
moderate pace until it reached the Avenue des Champs 
Elysees. 

The car dawdled on until they came to the Place de 
la Concorde. It shot across this, and unfortunately 
Strong was bound to reveal his whereabouts, because it 
was necessary to hang as closely overhead of the car as 
possible. 

The King, looking up, perceived that the ‘‘ Di ” was 
hot upon the scent, and he turned up the narrow Rue 
Cambon. 

In his anxiety to follow. Strong shot ahead so fast 
that he lost the King when the car turned suddenly to 
the left up the Rue Duphot. He was now in the posi- 
tion of a huntsman who had lost the scent, and he de- 
cided to make a cast. 

So, checking the ‘‘Di,” he put her up another 
hundred feet, when, to his intense joy, as he hung above 
the Madeleine, he saw the red car skim across the Rue 
Royale and make for the Boulevard des Capucines. 
Strong was perplexed as to the spot for which the King 
was aiming. At his present rate of progress he would 
soon be in Montmartre. Strong did not imagine that 
His Majesty could be intent on hiding there. 

Evidently believing that he had lost Strong, the 
King’s great red car ran easily along into the Place des 
Capucines and turned into the courtyard of the Grand 
Hotel. 

Strong brought the “ Di ” to a standstill and hung 
over Paris that he might think the matter out. The 
commotion below them was tremendous. The traffic in 
the streets was at a standstill. There were heads at 
every window, and a sea of upturned faces in the Place 
de la Concorde, over which they were then stationary. 
The “ Victor ” was slowly picking its way through the 


PARIS AND SOME PERILS 


sky from the Bois de Boulogne, and she drifted lazily 
up while Strong took counsel with himself. He saw that 
it would be eminently necessary not only to see Diana 
before he returned to Bomberg, but to establish over her 
a sufficiently careful watch to prevent the King remov- 
ing her from Paris and hiding her where it would be hard 
to trace her. But how? He had friends and acquaint- 
ances in Paris, but for the moment he could think of no 
one who could be relied on to afford him the assistance 
he required. Suddenly, however, stumbling through 
the memories of Paris which he was calling up, he re- 
membered Jimmy Cloud. 

‘‘ By George ! ” he said to himself. “ Jimmy is the 
very man ! ” For Jimmy Cloud was a man very much 
of Strong’s build and temperament, and quite as re- 
markable in his mode of life. Though he was barely 
twenty-six years of age, he elected to live by himself, 
with an old man-servant, in one of the small, old- 
fashioned houses in the Rue de Ranelagh. Here he 
surrounded himself with books and dumb-bells, living a 
life of mixed pedantry and athletics, and occasionally 
making a startling raid upon his aristocratic acquaint- 
ances in the more fashionable quarter of the town. 
Ordinarily, Jimmy Cloud was content to clothe his body 
in extremely British flannel trousers and an old Norfolk 
jacket. But when he did condescend to put on evening 
dress he became a person of great magnificence. 

Strong put the “ Di ” alongside the ‘‘ Victor ” and, 
finding that Arbuthnot did not object to being left alone, 
he stepped into the larger airship. 

Strong let both airships drive westward till night 
fell. At eight o’clock he ordered them about and made 
east again till in pitch darkness the ‘‘ Victor ” and the 
‘‘ Di ” hung once more above the Bois de Boulogne. 
Strong then ordered the ‘‘ Di ” alongside the “ Victor ” 
and stepped into the smaller airship, leaving certain 
instructions with Langley. These instructions amused 


gl8 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Langley to such an extent that he laughed for quite a 
while, and Strong joined in the laughter. For the 
notion which he had conceived vastly amused him too. 

He then cried ‘‘ So long ! ” and put away from the 
“ Victor,” and as the little craft drove into the stiff 
breeze Strong uttered an exclamation of “ Thank 
Heaven for the rain ! ” 

He crossed the Seine to the west of the Auteuil 
Bridge, and brought the ‘‘ Di ” up sharp over the 
maneuvering field of Issy. They were now only about 
500 feet above the surface of the earth, and Strong 
turned to Arbuthnot and said, ‘‘ Now, my boy, stand by 
for a rush. This has got to be quick work. The mo- 
ment I set foot on land, get up as quickly as you can 
and rejoin the ‘ Victor.’ You will know within an hour 
whether all is well with me or not. Supposing, however, 
that you do not hear by the end of that time, don’t get 
alarmed. Give me at least till midnight. If you don’t 
hear from me by then, Langley will know what to do. 
If I get into a fix I am trusting to you fellows to get me 
out of it.” 

“ You need have no fear of that,” said Arbuthnot, 
and he stretched out his hand. 

They went down very swiftly, and the ‘‘ Di ” shivered 
as she touched the ground. Strong jumped out, nodded 
to Arbuthnot in the darkness, pulled the collar of his 
coat up round his ears, and walked quickly away. 
When he had gone a dozen steps or so he turned, and 
again thanked Providence that the night was so thick 
that even then he could not discover any trace of the 
“ Di.” She had appfeirently leaped up out of sight. 

The old man who opened the door of Jimmy Cloud’s 
house to Strong looked up into his face with a pair of 
blue eyes full of British suspicion of rough-looking 
visitors who call at night. 

So he said: “ Don’t you know me, Johnson.? ” 


PARIS AND SOME PERILS 


219 


‘‘ I know that voice, sir,” said Johnson, and he came 
out on to the doorstep and peered up into Strong’s face 
with evident curiosity. “ Bless my soul ! ” he cried, 
after a careful scrutiny, “ it’s Mr. Strong,” and, with 
that inoffensive familiarity allowable in old servants, 
he drew Strong into the hall. 

“ Tell me,” said Strong, briskly, fo^r he was in haste, 

whether Mr. Cloud is at home.” 

‘‘ Mr. Cloud, sir,” said the old man, ‘‘ is at this very 
minute just a-finishing his coffee.” 

“ Good,” said Strong. “ I’ll have some too.” He 
shivered a little, for he was cold and wet. 

The old man shuffled down the passage and knocked 
at the door of the great room at the back of the house 
which had once been a studio, but which Jimmy called 
his “ workroom.” A casual voice called Come in ! ” 
and Strong, turning the handle of the door, walked 
quickly into the “ workroom.” 

Jimmy Cloud was a very large young man indeed, 
with the same air of insolent ease that was Strong’s 
principal characteristic when he was not engaged in 
anything that required activity. Even when Cloud 
beheld Strong he did not rouse himself; he merely 
stretched out his hand and said : 

Great Scbtt ! It’s the man who’s after the earth. 
Hang it, but I’m not sure that you’re a creditable 
visitor. But how in Heaven’s name did you get here.?^ ” 

Strong told him, tersely, crisply. Jimmy laughed 
with delight. 

“ And now,” said Strong, in conclusion, as I’m 
going a-courting the princess at the Grand Hotel I want 
your cooperation. I want a bath, a dress suit and an 
overcoat.” 

“ Go ahead, my cavalier,” cried Jimmy ; you shall 
have Johnson to dress you.” 

Half an hour later Strong reentered Cloud’s room. 
He had shaved himself. Cloud’s evening-dress clothes 


220 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


fitted him as though they were his own, and the fur coat 
with which Johnson had provided him completed an 
entirely immaculate toilet. Strong was, moreover, 
satisfied in his mind, for he had held converse on the 
wireless with Langley. 

Cloud looked up from: his book and said: “Behold 
the Book!” 

“ You insult me,” said Strong. “ I am not a duke — 
I am a Dictator — Dictator of Balkania and pros- 
pective Dictator of the world ! ” 

He picked up the little box which held the wireless 
instrument, nodded to Cloud and walked out. 

Strong reached the American bar in the Place de 
I’Opera by a roundabout route. There calling for a 
cocktail, he nibbled at a biscuit, for he had had no food 
since midday, and was beginning to feel hungry. He 
picked up an evening newspaper and spent ten minutes 
or so of quiet enjoyment reading the highly ornate 
descriptions of his exploits over Paris. The enterpris- 
ing Parisian journalists had already discovered that the 
gentleman who had alighted from the balloon in the 
Bois de Boulogne was the King of Balkania, and His 
Majesty’s presence in the Grand Hotel was already well 
known. It appeared, indeed, that once in Paris the 
King had made no effort towards disguise, and was 
staying at the great hostelry by the Opera under his 
own name. Every interviewer who had called seemed 
to have been accorded an audience, and over the contents 
of these interviews Strong chuckled with delight. 

It appeared that His Majesty was bombastic, and 
also that he was talking for the benefit of his recent 
subjects in Balkania, for the different papers contained 
different and long-winded excuses for His Majesty’s 
flight. 

From this Strong went on to read of the manner in 
which he himself had vanished with the “ Victor ” and 
the “ Di.” There were even telegrams from the coast, 


PARIS AND SOME PERILS 


declaring that both the airships had driven into the 
teeth of a stiff gale and had fought their way out of 
sight across the Atlantic. 

When he read of this, Strong was so tickled that he 
laughed aloud, and the bar-tender lounged across the 
marble slab and asked him in English if he were reading 
of the exploits of Mr. Strong. 

Strong nodded, remarking that Mr. Strong appeared 
to be a person with a sense of humor. 

“ Perhaps,” said the bar-tender. ‘‘ I tell you, Paris 
has gone crazy about him. I do not know which is the 
bigger hero of the two, Mr. Strong or the King of 
Balkania. Anyway, I can assure you of one thing — 
that they would much rather Mr. Strong were on the 
side of France than against them. He seems to be 
able to scare people pretty considerably.” 

Having finished his cocktail. Strong strolled out and 
made for a telephone. At the exchange he rang up the 
Grand Hotel and asked if the King of Balkania were in. 
He was answered courteously enough that His Majesty 
had left about an hour before and was believed to be 
dining at the Balkanian Legation. 

Strong congratulated himself upon this stroke of 
luck, and without further hesitation he walked round 
the comer to the hotel. His p’assage across the court- 
yard was scarcely noted, and the gorgeous major-domo 
■who stood at the top of the steps bowed ceremoniously 
as he entered. He turned to the inquiry office and 
asked, easily enough — though at the same time he felt 
that a hundred eyes were endeavoring to probe his 
secrets and discover his identity — whether the King 
were at home, and the reply was the same as that which 
he received when a few minutes before he had rung up on 
the telephone. 

‘‘ That is tiresome,” he said. “ The princess, has 
she also gone out ? ” 

To this query the reply was in the negative, and 


222 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Strong thereupon requested paper and pencil that he 
might write her a note. 

He simply scrawled: — 

Do not on any account be alarmed or show any 
nervousness. But I am here, and if you can spare me a 
few moments I should be grateful. I beg the privilege 
of a little interview for the sake of your safety and of 
mine.” 

Strong then lit a cigarette and sat down in the lounge, 
and years seemed to pass before the brass-buttoned 
page-boy returned with the request that he would go 
upstairs. Fortunately for Strong, he had never made 
the Grand his quarters during his spasmodic visits to 
Paris, but he was rather disconcerted when he saw the 
elevator attendant eyeing him attentively. He looked 
at the man coldly and the man looked away. And 
Strong recognized him as one of the porters who had 
known him at the Scribe. 

The King’s rooms were on the third floor looking on 
to the Boulevard des Capucines, and Strong was shown 
into a sitting-room, stiffly magnificent and exceedingly 
hotel-like in its luxury. Two or three minutes passed 
before the door leading from another room opened and 
Diana came in. Her face was white and her eyes shone 
like stars. It was obvious that since she had left Bom- 
berg she could have slept but little, and that she had 
suffered much. For there were about her eyes and 
mouth little lines of anxiety and pain which had no 
right to be there. She came running up to Strong much 
as a child runs to meet an elder, and Strong opening his 
arms, she fell into them and let her head fall against his 
breast. Strong held her to him very tightly, and was 
greatly moved, for it was the first time that he had ever 
seen Diana betray any great emotion. It was the first 
time that he had really seen her shaken out of her 


PARIS AND SOME PERILS 


customary brave, high spirits and slightly cynical 
flippancy. He held her to him, and he felt her shaking 
with sobs. He pressed her head a little closer to him 
with his hand and let her weep as she would. By-and- 
by, when she had grown calmer, he wiped her tears away 
and led her to a sofa. Bidding her be seated, he sat 
down beside her, still holding her against him. 

And soon Diana seemed to gain a little of Strong’s 
unfailing strength. Soon, indeed, she was smiling as he 
chaffed her very kindly in a low voice about the troubles 
of the times. She hung on to his hand, and looked at 
him as a child might look. She looked at him in a plead- 
ing way, and her eyes began to contract with pain again. 
“ And you,” she cried, “ you have no right to be here. 
My father is dining at the Legation, but I do not know 
when he will return. I fancy it will not be till very late, 
for there are all kinds of things on foot, and I know some 
time to-night there is to be a big meeting, when every- 
thing will be discussed, for papa is to see the President 
to-morrow. But still there is always the chance that 
he may came back sooner than I expect him, or Ludwig, 
who will hardly be summoned to the council, might 
return alone, and then, and then — ” 

“ And then, my dear,” said Strong, “ I suppose you 
think I should be caught and held captive, and possibly 
guillotined, and Heaven knows what.” He patted her 
head with great tenderness. ‘‘ Do not worry your silly 
little pate about that,” he said. “ It would not matter 
to me if I were taken ten times over. I hold the upper 
hand, and, after all, there is always a way of escape.” 

“ It is all so horrible,” said Diana. “ I do not know. 
I cannot think about it.” 

Strong looked at her in rather a troubled way. ‘‘ My 
dear little girl,” he said, ‘‘ if you are going to be so dis- 
tressed and unhappy as all this I shall have to take you 
away. I cannot let you stay here to be worried and 
harassed in this manner. I cannot leave you a victim 


224 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


to the awful anxiety that you seem to endure. Don’t 
you think,” he went on, “ that you might trust me a 
little more.?* Surely I have done enough to prove that 
you should have some faith in me.” Strong’s voice 
rose. “ I feel,” he cried, “ that I shall always be safe. 
Ah ! do not laugh at me when I say that I feel I have a 
great work to do. I will bring peace to the world at the 
last.” 

Diana jumped up from the sofa and flung her arms 
apart. Her eyes were wide and full of terror, and she 
swayed a little on her feet. Strong took a step forward 
and caught her to him again. 

‘‘ Tell me,” he cried, ‘‘ tell me what it is. For 
Heaven’s sake, tell me what is the matter.” 

Diana began to laugh hysterically. 

“ I am mad,” she said. “ I am mad, quite mad ! ” 

“ What do you mean ? ” he repeated. 

“ My father wants to get rid of me,” she cried. ‘‘ He 
has already been taking means to put me away from 
him. He says that my mind is unhinged, and that I 
must go to some quiet place and be under the restraint 
of doctors and nurses. Two medical men were sent for 
this afternoon. I was dreadfully frightened when they 
came, because both of them were Balkanians. They 
saw me up here, and my father said that I was not 
responsible for my actions, and they asked me a number 
of foolish questions. Naturally, they did not tell me 
what their verdict was, but at any rate my father has 
given it out in the hotel that I am mad.” 

Strong clenched his fists. 

“ That settles it,” he said, “ that settles it for good 
and all. You shall not be left here. You shall come 
back with me.” 

• “ No,” she said, “ I will not come with you. I will 
not go back to Romberg until you are really master of 
the country and the real Dictator. Besides, I am 
determined not to give way like this. Please forgive 


PARIS AND SOME PERILS 


2£5 


me, but I was horribly upset. But you have given me 
back my strength, and I can endure now to the end.” 
She glanced with terror at the clock, for the hour was 
growing late. ‘‘ Listen,” she said to Strong. ‘‘We 
are being very foolish people. We have taken no heed 
of the time, and my father may return at any moment, 
and it is necessary that we should be warned. I will 
send for Felice.” 

“ And who,” asked Strong, as Diana rang the bell, 
“ is Felice.? ” 

“ Felice,” said Diana, “ is my old nurse, whom my 
father has very unwisely appointed to be my dragon 
for the time being. For Felice, bless her old heart! 
will do anything in the world for me, even, I think, the 
most foolish of things. Ah I here she is.” 

A very broad, middle-aged Frenchwoman bustled into 
the room. Her face was round and sleek and smiling. 
She was the very embodiment of good-nature. She 
bowed and bobbed to Strong and took one of Diana’s 
hands. “ The poor little one,” she said, “ the poor little 
one, so unhappy, so distracted.” 

“ Now, Felice,” said Diana, “ I am not distracted 
any more. This gentleman has come to see me. I 
will tell you who he is later.” 

Felice spread out her fat fingers. “No need, my 
dear little princess,” she said, “ no need. I know at 
once who the gentleman is — it is Mr. Strong.” 

Strong laughed, held out his hand to Felice, and said: 
“ I see I shall have to introduce myself.” 

Felice took his hand, and bowed and bobbed over 
it until Diana plucked her by the sleeve. 

“ Felice,” said Diana, “ you must run away or you 
will make me jealous. I want you to do something for 
me. Go down to the hall and wait there until my 
father returns. Be near to the telephone, so that you 
can be switched through to this room the moment he 
enters the hotel and give me warning.” 


226 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


“ She may save us,” said Diana, simply, as Felice left 
them. “ She is the soul of faithfulness. When will you 
go?” 

To-morrow morning,” said Strong, “ at ten o’clock. 
He thought for a few moments and then said : “ Look 
here. Could you bear to see me go, or would you rather 
not ? ” 

“ I don’t understand,” said Diana. 

“ It’s simply this, that when I leave Paris I shall 
leave it publicly and in the full sight of the city. I 
am going to leave Paris by way of the Eiffel Tower.” 


CHAPTER XVII 


MELODRAIVIA AS AN AID TO EXIT 

At that moment the telephone bell began to ring. 
Strong was on his feet in a moment, and a second later 
had the receiver at his ear. Then he heard the fat, 
pleasant voice of Felice saying, ‘‘ The King has entered 
the hotel with Prince Ludwig.” 

Strong hung up the receiver quickly and turned to 
Diana. ‘‘ Dearest,” he said, “ there is no time for 
further talk. I must get out of this place at once.” 

Again her held out his arms to her, and she ran into 
them, and without saying any word he kissed her very 
tenderly. Then he put her from him and walked swiftly 
out of the room. 

The King, he judged, would ascend by the elevator, 
and he ran at top speed down the corridor. Casting a 
quick glance down the elevator shaft, he saw that the 
elevator was ascending, and so he ran up the stairs as 
though he were making for the floor above. At the 
break in the staircase he paused, waited for the elevator 
to stop, and then over its gilded top watched the King 
and Ludwig walk round the corner and along the corri- 
dor to the princess’ rooms. No sooner had they disap^ 
peared from view than Strong began to run down the 
stairs very quickly but lightly, but he had not gained the 
first floor before he heard the bell in the elevator ringing 
sharply and persistently. He guessed what that meant 
and ran on. As he crossed the hall he heard the tinkle 
of the telephone bell in the porter’s lodge, and imagined, 
quite rightly, that the bell was ringing on his account. 


228 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


He broke into a double and dashed out of the courtyard 
into the Place de I’Opera. F ortunately for him the rain 
had to a great extent cleared and the streets were full of 
people. It would therefore have been folly on his part 
to continue running. It was much easier and far more 
simple to pull up and lose himself in the crowd. 

Soon he zigzagged back to Passy. 

Jimmy Cloud laughed hugely at Strong’s story of 
the chase from the Grand Hotel. “ Excellent ! ” he 
cried. “ And now I suppose that you have come back 
for further assistance.? ” 

Strong laughed and nodded. 

“ You have only to command me,” said Cloud. 
‘‘ Anything that I possibly can do I will, though I really 
think it is somewhat disgraceful that the quiet and re- 
spectability of a lone bachelor’s house should be rudely 
upset in this manner.” 

“ All I want,” said Strong, ignoring Cloud’s badinage, 
“ is to lie down on a couch somewhere and snatch a few 
hours of sleep — as many hours, indeed, as I can 
manage, for I have not slept much during the past week. 
Then if you will tell Johnson to call me at eight I shall 
be glad.* Also, I want to be furnished with some morn- 
ing clothes. My own are hardly respectable, and I 
cannot walk abroad to complete my adventures in Paris 
in borrowed evening dress.” 

“ Good,” said Cloud. “ That shall be just as you 
wish. In the meantime, if you are not too sleepy, I 
wish you would sit down and tell me a little of your 
past — I mean the past since I saw you at Cookham. 
It seems to have been exciting, and you appear to have 
become quite a notable person. Indeed,” he went on, 

I am not sure quite how I should address you. Tell 
me, do you wish me to hail you as ‘ Your Majesty ’ ? ” 

“ Not yet,” said Strong, quite gravely, “ not till I 
have been crowned, which I hope will be in a few days.” 

“ Then you are going back to Romberg.? ” 


MELODRAMA AS AN AID TO EXIT 229 


Yes,” said Strong, “ almost immediately. And if 
you will take the trouble to get up at eight o’clock and 
come out with me to the grounds of the old exhibition 
you shall see me depart.” 

On the following morning Strong and Cloud took their 
coffee and rolls together, and after breakfast walked 
down the Rue de Ranelagh, over the bridge, and along 
the Champ de Mars. They bought all the morning 
papers they could lay hands on, and, as Strong had 
suspected, these journals contained highly-colored ac- 
counts of his escapade at the Grand Hotel. Further 
than that, however — and this threw him into a violent 
rage — he found that the King of Balkania had not hesi- 
tated to brand the Princess Diana as insane. It ap- 
peared that Paris had been searched the whole night 
through for the audacious Mr. Strong, and one journal 
declared that he had the additional impudence to dine at 
the Cafe de Paris. 

This set Strong thinking, for if the city were roused 
to such an extent, then certainly it was high time to 
leave Paris. As they walked along they saw that nearly 
every one was looking skywards searching for the ‘‘ Vic- 
tor ” and the Di,” which, from the roof of Cloud’s 
house. Strong had taken the precaution to assure himself 
were still hovering above the Bois. He had allowed him- 
self none too much time to keep his rendezvous with 
Langley, and he saw that it would be both unwise and 
unfair to associate Cloud with him in this his latest reck- 
less venture. So he bade that nonchalant young man 
farewell at some distance from the tower. 

The elevator man at the foot of the tower was routed 
out, and that official, hurriedly struggling into his coat 
and jamming his gold-edged cap on his head, went for- 
ward to attend to the requirements of the eccentric 
Englishman who desired to make the ascent of the Eiffel 
Tower at such a ridiculous time of day. 

They ascended and arriving at the little platform 


230 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


from which they could see all Paris spread out beneath 
them, Strong deposited his wireless instrument on a seat. 
The man glanced at it curiously, and Strong, desirous 
even then of allaying all the siuspicion that he could, 
made haste to remark that his companion had probably 
never beheld a camera of that description. 

At that moment the elevator bell began to ring, and 
saying that he would be back directly the attendant 
hastened to descend. 

This was pre’cisely as Strong desired it, and while 
the elevator was going down he made haste to tick out a 
message to the Di,” which he could see was already 
under way. 

The reply came almost immediately, and Strong 
ticked Come at once.” Then he shut the little box 
and glanced down the well of the elevator. He had fore- 
seen the emergency that now arose, and quickly made 
his preparations. From his pocket he took a stout dog- 
chain, on which Cloud at times kept his faithful bull 
terrier, and gave the chain a double twist round the 
cable of the elevator. He fixed it securely in such a 
manner that it would be impossible for the attendant to 
get the elevator up again so long as the chain held. 

The “ Di ” was now sailing towards him at a pretty 
fair pace, but Strong kept his gaze fixed on the elevator 
below him, and he saw that there had arisen a tre- 
mendous commotion at the gates of the elevator. 

He heard a whistle, and two policemen ran across 
the exhibition grounds, and, after an excited altercation 
with some persons whom Strong could not catch sight 
of, they began to tear up the steps of the- tower as fast 
as their stubby legs could carry them. 

Langley had evidently been afraid to rouse too much 
suspicion by closing in too near upon the tower, and as 
the policemen reached the first stage and paused to take 
breath the “ Di ” was hovering over Neuilly. 

Strong made a slight calculation as to whether the 


MELODRAMA AS AN AID TO EXIT 231 


“ Di ” or the policemen were likely to win the race. 
Then, opening his instrument, he ticked out an impera- 
tive message to Langley to make all the speed he could. 

He saw the “ Di ” turn about and make for the 
tower, but she had some way to come, and the two 
gendarmes were already at the second landing-stage. 

Strong took his six-shooter from his hip-pocket and 
mounted guard over the narrow stairway. The “ Di ” 
was still a couple of hundred yards off, and the gen- 
darmes were close upon him. Yet he was loth to shoot. 
There were enough lives to his account already, and 
he had no desire to shed the innocent blood of these 
two fussy little officials. He called on them< to halt, and 
the two men, closing up together as if for mutual pro- 
tection, leaned panting against the rails of the staircase 
and glared up at him. 

The leader drew his sword and yelled at Strong to 
surrender. “ You are our prisoner! ” he cried. 

And what a prisoner, too I ” shrieked the other. 
‘‘We have at our mercy the redoutable Mr. Strong! ” 

Then it was that Strong brought his hand from 
behind his back and deliberately trained the nose of his 
six-shooter upon the men beneath him. 

“ One step further,” Strong said, “ and you will go to 
the bottom a great deal faster than you came up.” 

The leader of the two men was a man of mettle, and 
he drew his own revolver from the holster on his belt so 
quickly that before he realized that he was being shot at 
Strong heard the bullet ping past his head and go with 
a soft splash against the metal-work behind him. 

“ A good aim,” he said to himself, “ and quick, too.” 

Then he sighed, and his finger tightened on the trig- 
ger. It was a good shot, perhaps the finest shot that he 
ever made. For the man who had fired at him leaped 
into the air with a scream. The revolver clattered on to 
the metal staircase, and the man sank in a heap with his 
hand half shot away. 


^2 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


But his companion, after all, was a man too, for, 
shouting a few boisterous Parisian curses at Strong, he 
drew his own revolver and dashed on up the stairs. 

Strong called to him to stop, but the man came on. 
He let him approach still nearer, knowing tlmt at the 
pace he was coming his aim would not be very good. 
It seemed, indeed, that the man was too excited to fire, 
for, though he brandished his revolver aloft, he made 
no sign of using it. So Strong waited till the man had 
to take a turn in the twist of the staircase beneath him, 
when he winged him neatly in the foot. The man fell 
with a crash, and Strong heard the “ Di ” scraping 
along the balcony behind him. Strong had no time to 
see what damage he had done. The man lay huddled 
up on the iron steps motionless. The scraping of the 
‘‘ Di ” along the balcony was music to his ears, and the 
sharp call of Langley as the voice of an angel. He 
whipped round, and without a word jumped into the 
“ Di ” and bade Langley ‘‘ shove ofr.” 

As they started away from the Eiffel Tower, and a 
tumult of shouts rose from beneath them, Langley raised 
his eyebrows at Strong in customary silent interroga- 
tion. 

“ ‘ Victor,’ ” said Strong. 

Langley put alongside the ‘‘ Victor,” where Strong 
ordered Arbuthnot and Wildney to take their places in 
the Di.” 

“ Bomberg ! ” Strong shouted, and the two airships 
swung east and raced across Paris. 

The time was about ten o’clock, and Strong estimated 
that if all went well with both the “ Victor ” and the 

Di ” they would make Bomberg about five in the 
afternoon. 

And, fortunately, all went well. The world streamed 
away beneath them. They crossed the borders of 
France, scurried over the southern portion of Germany, 
plunged across Austria, and as the autumn afternoon 


MELODRAMA AS AN AID TO EXIT 23S 


was drawing to its close the towers of Romberg and the 
hills beyond the city rushed up at them from the east. 

Strong set the ‘‘ Victor ” over the Ministry, and bade 
Langley call up M. Stalvan on the wireless. And as 
Langley ticked away Strong made a rapid inspection of 
the city through his glasses, and even in the little while 
he had been absent a great deal appeared to have been 
done. The three army corps which had been called into 
the field to meet the forces of Sylvania which were com- 
ing to the relief of the King, were encamped on the 
northern side of the town. The debris in the streets had 
been cleared away, trams were running up the long main 
thoroughfares as was their wont, and the people ap- 
peared to be conducting their ordinary business amid the 
wrecked streets. 

True, as the airship shot over the city there arose 
from the people of the town a murmur which, even 
though it drifted up but faintly. Strong took as a 
murmur of acclamation. At any rate, the attitude of 
the people in the streets below was vastly different from 
what it had been on his previous visit. There arose no 
panic and no disorder. The crowds were simply curious. 

In other respects, too. Strong noted that the town 
had been reduced to comparative order. The roads 
were well patrolled by troops, and the people were ap- 
parently following their customary vocations. 

There was scarcely time for him to observe all these 
satisfactory signs when an answer came to the instru- 
ment on the ‘‘ Victor,” and Langley rapidly translated 
to Strong the message that M. Stalvan, in the name of 
the Balkanian people, welcomed him to Romberg. 

This message was reassuring enough in its way, but 
Strong was determined to take no risks. There lay 
within his grasp the means of demonstrating to the 
people of Ralkania, in a far more terrible way than any 
he had yet attempted, the scope and the grip of his 
power. Fortunately it was a way not unlikely to com- 


2S4! HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


mend itself to the people whose destinies he had now 
taken into his keeping. On the northern frontier of 
Balkania were massed the troops of the old King of 
Sylvania, before whose advance the Balkanian army had 
been forced to fall back, and Strong determined, before 
he again set foot in Bomberg, at least to relieve Bal- 
kania from that menace. 

On the brief message to the premier, therefore, he 
turned the “ Victor ” about and stood for the north. 
What happened when he found himself above the invad- 
ing army was brief and bloody. The shattered hosts 
of Sylvania straggled back to their base. And still 
Strong salved his conscience with the thought that he 
worked for the millennium. 

Strong allowed time for the news of this astounding 
and ruthless victory to sink into the minds of his new 
subjects before he returned to Bomberg. When he did 
so he descended in the “ Di ” to the Ministry without 
a shadow of uneasiness. Indeed, as he afterwards drove 
from the Ministry to the palace with the aged premier, 
the people in the streets hailed him as a hero. 

One of Strong’s first thoughts when he had installed 
himself at the palace was of Diana, and he dispatched 
Churston to Paris by way of London with a wireless 
instrument for Jimmy Cloud. To Jimmy he wrote a 
letter instructing him to keep careful watch over Diana’s 
movements, and immediately to report to him if the 
ex-King removed her from Paris. 

The wiping out of the Sylvanian army roused the 
whole of Europe. Austria, Germany, Italy and Russia 
began mobilizing armies on a huge scale. Then, thanks 
to the exertions of the ex-King, a conference of the 
Powers was summoned to The Hague. Bomberg’s plight 
was for a time wretched, and the unfortunate people 
knew not which the most to dread — Strong and his air- 
ships, or the armies of Europe, who were already on the 
march against them. 


MELODRAMA AS AN AID TO EXIT 235 


Meantime, Strong had lost not a moment in setting 
to work on the building of other airships. Langley was 
lodged on the balloon ground, and there, with the best 
engineers that Strong could procure — some at his bid- 
ding came from England — he pushed forward at top 
speed the construction of three more airships exactly 
on the model of the “ Victor.” The work was com- 
paratively simple. It was only a question of duplicat- 
ing the different parts of which the “ Victor ” was 
composed, and Strong felt pretty confident that the 
three ships would be ready within a fortnight. 

Daily the “ Victor ” sailed overhead, and her presence 
acted as a constant reminder to the people of Romberg, 
and of Balkania in general, of the unlimited power which 
Strong wielded; and so any desire to defy him was 
gradually worn down. At the last, indeed, the people 
even accepted him as a man on whom they had best rely. 

His life at the palace was simple in the extreme. He 
rose early and went to bed late. He worked both by 
day and by night, strengthening his resources and 
generally placing Balkania in a position to withstand 
the shock of battle which must come when the hosts of 
Europe moved to the attack. Fortunately, the Powers 
were frightened, for the armies lingered on the way. 
They were strengthened and reorganized, and strength- 
ened again, and still the hosts of Europe hung in sullen 
masses just beyond the frontier. Obviously, until some 
better means of meeting Strong could be devised, they 
regarded it as sheer folly to move to the attack. And 
Strong was not surprised at the delay, for two or three 
days before information had come to him from Berlin 
that the Kaiser was there building four great aeroplanes, 
which it was believed would be an improvement on any 
kind of airship that had yet been made. 

When he first heard this Strong chuckled to himself, 
and decided instantly that it would be merely necessary 
to detach the “ Di ” and send her to Berlin to destroy 


^36 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


completely the airships in building. But the Kaiser’s 
preparations were clever to an extreme. It appeared 
that great pits had been dug in the vast barrack-square 
of the Guards Regiment, and that the aeroplanes were 
being built beneath armored shields which even the explo- 
sives carried by the ‘‘ Di ” would be unable to pierce. 

Even when he heard this Strong did not lose heart. 

After all,” he said, in explanation to those officers 
who rubbed their chins doubtfully as they discussed the 
matter with him, “ they are but as so many rats in a 
trap. We can watch till they are ready, and then, when 
they are about to leave their hole, we can catch them as 
they come out.” The officers were a little reassured, 
though the news of the building of the airships of the 
Kaiser created almost a panic in the city. 

Meantime, in spite of his business. Strong had not 
neglected Miss Hunt. He had sent her message after 
message to Vienna, with the result that the editor of the 
Daily Wireless spent his days and half his nights chuck- 
ling with delight over ‘‘ scoop ” after scoop.” 

Indeed, upon receipt of the news that the Kaiser was 
building airships in Berlin, Strong had instructed Miss 
Hunt by wireless to leave Vienna and go at once to Ber- 
lin. And there, disguised as a humble governess, and 
living in cheap rooms, she was seeking an engagement, 
which she was always careful not to find, while she picked 
up all the information she could and tapped it off with 
regularity every night from Berlin. 

At last came a message from Berlin that she had met 
Ludwig face to face in Unter den Linden and that she 
feared her movements were watched. She reported at 
the same time a rumor to the effect that Great Britain 
was joining the conference of the Powers at The Hague. 
This was serious news, and at Strong’s request Miss 
Hunt left for Holland. 

Meanwhile, work on the two airships was being carried 
on both by day and by night. Strong was of no mind to 


MELODRAMA AS AN AID TO EXIT 237 


let the Prussians get ahead of him in the building of 
their airships. One air-craft, indeed, had been already 
completed, and stood on her rests beside the “ Victor,” 
and the two airships were so alike it was hard to dis- 
tinguish one from the other. 

“ I thought it better,” Strong explained to Belling- 
ham, “ to have one ready for patrol duty.” 

“ You are sure it is safe? ” asked Bellingham. 

‘‘ Perfectly,” said Strong, “ and there will be no lack 
of operators. Hertz has been invaluable. I have got 
about me now a score of young officers, and I think I 
may boast that they at least are quite devoted. At any 
rate they are gentlemen and perfectly straight and 
honorable. Wildney will take charge of the new airship, 
which we have christened ‘ The State.’ Rather a good 
name, I think, that. It is something like backing a 
horse both ways. It suggests an Empire or Republic, 
just as you please. And with the present condition of 
public opinion it is just as well to give people a choice.” 

Langley, in jean overalls and grimy fac’e and spec- 
tacles misty from sweat, ambled up at this particular 
moment. 

“ Is she going up all right? ” asked Strong. 

‘‘ She is going up like a bird,” said Langley as he 
wiped his forehead with a bit of waste. ‘‘ What I pro- 
pose to do,” he went on, “ is to take her up, see how she 
goes, make a trip round the town, and come back. And 
then,” he added, looking at Strong keenly, I shall have 
to return to my work. We must get the other airships 
ready as quickly as we can.” 

Strong nodded, and let Langley go about his work, 
and in a very few minutes Langley had his crew of Bal- 
kanian officers aboard “ The State.” Strong left the 
ordering of things to Wildney, thinking it best that he 
should get his hand in in the way of commanding while 
he could. 

A great crowd surged round “ The State ” as the last 


^58 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


preparations were made for her ascent. The engineers 
and workmen gathered about her, and those officers who 
had sworn allegiance to Strong grouped themselves near 
the new dictator. 

When all was ready Langley nodded to Strong, 
climbed aboard The State,” and said, “ Let her go ! ” 

The two or three hundred men assembled drew in their 
breath as the propellers on the upright shafts began t6 
whizz, and they sighed with a great relief as “ The 
State ” slowly lifted herself from the ground. She 
sailed up like a bird, but Strong’s face betrayed no 
emotion. He was conscious that at the moment the 
newly-completed airship had lifted for her first trip, the 
eyes of every man present were turned upon him, and 
his dramatic spirit prompted him to assume a mask of 
complete indifference. 

They watched “ The State ” go up into the night 
and disappear, and then Strong, Bellingham and 
Arbuthnot fell into a desultory chat as they waited for 
her to return. Within half an hour she was back and 
came down to earth with the precision and neatness of 
the ‘‘ Victor.” 

“ I never thought,” said Strong to Bellingham, “ that 
we had much to fear. After this I am certain we have 
nothing to dread at all.” 


CHAPTER XVIII 


ON THE WAY TO ARMAGEDDON 

On the morrow he summoned General Martel and M. 
Stalvan and received their reports. The city, it ap^ 
peared, had settled down into almost complete confidence 
in the existing state of affairs, and for the first time 
since Strong had entered into possession of his new 
kingdom the people were following their ordinary voca- 
tions. 

Going to the telephone, he spoke to Langley on the 
balloon ground, who reported that all three airships 
were now practically complete. Strong also got the 
good news that in the few spare moments he could snatch 
Langley had succeeded in applying his latest improve- 
ment to the wireless, so that they could now get mes- 
sages through to London direct. 

But as Strong still failed to receive any news of 
Diana, he grew anxious, and in the course of the morn- 
ing sought out Miss Hunt, whom Strong had sum- 
moned from Holland with the idea that she would now 
be of more assistance to him in Bomberg. Pelham had 
brought her in the ‘‘ Di ” two days previously. 

Miss Hunt saw the anxiety on his face and guessed 
what troubled him. “ You have heard no news of the 
princess .? ” she said. 

“ None,” said Strong. Then, for him, he looked a 
little awkward and uncomfortable, and again Miss Hunt 
guessed his thoughts. 

“You want me to go and look for her.?” she said. 

Strong smiled. “ You are a good mind reader,” he 
239 


240 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


said. “ To tell you the truth, I had some such idea, but 
I do not think it would be fair. I do not see how I 
could ask you to go through any more tribulation for 
my sake.” 

‘‘ I will not do it for your sake,” said Miss Hunt, quite 
simply, “ but for Diana’s.” 

“You do not mean,” said Strong, eagerly, “ that you 
would risk again what might be your life and go back 
to Paris now? ” 

“ I do,” said Miss Hunt. 

“ Then, my dear girl,” he said, “ you are most cer- 
tainly the bravest of the brave ! ” 

As it was impossible to land Miss Hunt anywhere in 
Europe, it was decided she should go direct to England 
in the “ Di,” and in the care of Bellingham and Arbuth- 
not she left in the course of the afternoon. 

After the departure of Miss Hunt Strong suffered an 
agony of uneasiness. He regretted deeply that it was 
necessary to send that long-suffering girl into peril once 
again ; but the other girl to whose rescue she went stood, 
he was sure, in greater peril still — and the other girl 
was Diana. 

He got news from the Daily Wireless of the safe ar- 
rival of the “ Di ” in England, together with the unwel- 
come information that Miss Hunt was ill. The message 
added that it would be some days before the girl could go 
on to Paris in search of Jimmy Cloud. 

Strong, cursing Cloud in his heart and wondering 
why he still got no news of him from Diana, sought to 
drown his anxiety by setting his new-found kingdom 
in order. 

There was much to be done, especially in the tuning 
of the wireless instruments. Langley indeed was found 
to relax his work on the airships, out of the fear that the 
messages which they were now constantly sending and 
receiving between London and Bomberg might be tapped. 


ON THE WAY TO ARMAGEDDON ^41 


All tlie afternoon Strong was in negotiation with the 
French authorities. It appeared there were difficulties, 
difficulties mainly placed in the way by Germany, and to 
some extent raised by France. France was in an ex- 
tremely uncomfortable position. For her part she had 
for the moment nothing to fear from Strong; but she 
was anxious lest, by giving offense to Germany, she 
should precipitate another European war, which would 
render the Powers all the less capable of dealing with the 
common enemy. 

Hence the negotiations were not of much avail. The 
French Government would only say that they could take 
no steps without the consent of their allies, because the 
dictates of policy would not permit them to break the 
terms of their alliance. 

All this afforded considerable satisfaction to Strong. 
It was, at least, of some comfort to know that the Powers 
were quarreling among themselves, for the more they 
quarreled the less were their chances of success. So for 
a few days at least there was little to be anxious about, 
seeing that in any case the armies of Europe would not 
move against him until such time as the airships being 
built for the Kaiser were in fighting trim. 

Strong had to debate with himself the tactics which 
he should adopt, and, acting upon the Napoleonic 
principle that the best defense is the best attack, he 
decided that he would not wait for an onslaught to be 
made upon his frontiers ; he would carry war into the 
camp of the enemy. It was then that his sense of fair 
play and his desire to behave at least as a sportsman led 
him to choose a course which was by no means the easiest 
and by no means the safest. 

He realized that were he to content himself with keep- 
ing two of his airships over the barrack ground in Ber- 
lin, he could, with the greatest ease, destroy the aero- 
planes of the Kaiser as they emerged from the steel-pro- 
tected sheds. But, though tliis seemed the obvious thing 


242 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


to do, Strong reflected that it was not always the most 
obvious course that was the wisest. And it appeared to 
him that the wisest thing in this case was at least to give 
the Germans a sporting chance. He knew that the issue 
would not, in the long run, be affected, and the Germans, 
when he had reduced them to submission, even as he had 
reduced Balkania to surrender, would be far more likely 
to accept his edicts and fall in with his wishes for the 
remodeling of their country than if he had merely 
adopted the policy of hitting a head wherever he saw it. 

In his own heart he had not the slightest doubt what 
must be the issue of a battle; but, at the same time, 
generosity is inevitably appreciated, and he felt certain 
that the generosity of his enabling the Germans to put 
up a fight at all would in the long run weigh in his favor. 
A personal motive, too, also inclined him towards this 
decision. Massacre did not appeal to him, whereas the 
prospect of battle always nerved him to his best 
work. 

When he received the news that the airships were now 
ready for their flight. Strong smiled a smile of almost 
childish satisfaction to himself, because he realized that 
in those four instruments of warfare he held the power of 
life and death over the whole world. 

True, he recognized that many years must pass before 
he would be able to enforce his will in every country, 
but mundane things being possible when the forces of 
civilization are united on a point, he realized that in the 
end he must emerge triumphant, because nothing could 
prevent his mastery over Europe being complete within 
the next few months. 

Ringing up Langley on the telephone, he congratu- 
lated him warmly on liis work, and urged him to come up 
to the palace with all the speed he could. Then he sum- 
moned General Martel, M. Stalvan, Hertz, Pelham, 
Wildney, and those Balkanian officers who had stood by 
him when his fate was still being weighed in a trembling 


ON THE WAY TO ARMAGEDDON 243 


balance. When all were assembled he made them a plain 
and simple speech. 

“ Gentlemen,” he said, “ I have asked you to gather 
here because I want to establish among you all the 
friendship and cooperation that I can. It is necessary 
to gain my end, that my will should be absolutely law, 
but at the same time I desire it to be obeyed out of 
affection rather than out of fear. I hope that even the 
most fearful man in this country will recognize to-night 
that Balkania is now insured against attacks of Europe. 
I trust, too, that it will see, within the next few days, 
that, far from being at the world’s mercy, the world 
lies at our feet, and that, from being numbered among 
the smaller and less important states of the civilized 
earth, we shall suddenly have become the only world 
Power.” 

There would have been some slight outburst of ap- 
plause, but Strong held up his hand to check the faintest 
demonstration, and briskly turned from one man to 
another, quickly giving his orders for the morrow. He 
decided to issue a proclamation that night, stating what 
had been accomplished and what would soon be achieved. 

Soon the newspapers of Romberg announced that on 
the morrow Balkania’s aerial fleet would make an ascent 
at noon. Further, they called upon the people to honor 
the event by gathering on the Morning Hills to cheer 
their aerial navy. 

Having seen to this. Strong next turned his attention 
to the ordering of the troops. The army on the frontier 
he did not disturb, but one-third of the Bomberg gar- 
rison, numbering ten thousand men, he had posted round 
the balloon ground, lest in their eagerness to see the air- 
ships the populace should attempt to break through the 
barriers. 

Twenty thousand men were, at ten o’clock in the 
morning, to be marshaled on the plain at the west of 
the town, where was to be conducted the most remark- 


244 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


able review ever conceived in a soldier’s mind. For 
the saluting base was to be, not a royal standard, but 
an airship, stationed sufficiently close to the earth to 
enable every soldier marching past to behold clearly 
the face of his Dictator. 

From the bustle of all this business Strong turned 
away to a sadder task — the almost hopeless attempt to 
communicate with Miss Hunt by wireless. Two full 
hours he spent that night between eleven and one 
o’clock in the morning ticking busily away query after 
query to Paris. But no answer came, and his heart 
grew fearful for what might be Diana’s fate. He was 
indeed of half a mind to made a rapid descent on Paris, 
but he saw that his approach would inevitably be 
known, and that, with such a crafty enemy to deal with 
as the fugitive King, Diana would be placed beyond the 
possibility of even his discovering her. Moreover, he 
had the utmost faith in Miss Hunt, as he had every 
right to have, so he was content to wait another twenty- 
four hours. Should he not hear from her by then he 
decided it would be time to act. 

In spite of his anxiety he slept well, and, rising early 
on the morrow, began shortly after six o’clock to deal 
with a mass of business that demanded his attention. 
This occupied him until eleven o’clock, when he walked 
down to the forecourt, where a glittering staff waited to 
receive him. With the exception of Hertz, he was 
practically without a personal friend as he mounted his 
horse for the ride to the balloon ground. Four of the 
Englishmen were with the airships, and General Martel 
was with the troops outside the city. 

In spite of the proclamation urging them to concen- 
trate upon the Morning Hills, the press of people in the 
streets was great. 

For the first time since he had entered Bomberg 
Strong was cheered by the people themselves. And he 
was cheered not half-heartedly, but with great fervor. 


ON THE WAY TO ARMAGEDDON 


They had begun to recognize at last that he was a man 
in whom they could put their trust. 

From the Ministry square to the balloon ground 
itself the road was kept by mounted troops, while round 
the barriers of the ground the infantry were hard put 
to it to keep the people back. 

In the balloon ground itself everything was business- 
like and in order. Langley had marshaled the work- 
men in military fashion in a hollow square, and into this 
Strong rode alone. He looked about him with a smile, 
and doffed his military helmet, and, standing in his 
stirrups, bareheaded, in the sunshine, he ‘‘Men, 

I thank you all for the great service that you have 
rendered to Balkania and myself 1 ” 

It was Langley who led the cheering, and then Strong, 
dismounting, made for the “ Victor.” 

The “ Di ” having returned, Arbuthnot assumed 
control of “ The State,” while Langley and Bellingham 
were placed in charge of the remaining airships, which 
had been christened the “ Balkania ” and the “ Prin- 
cess.” Churston took the “ Di,” and, at a signal given 
by gun-fire, the four great airships and their little com- 
rade rose simultaneously in the air. They went gently 
up to a height of two thousand feet, so that they could 
be discerned by all the city, and, as he hung above the 
balloon ground. Strong’s heart swelled within him to 
hear the cheers rising from the black crowds upon the 
Morning Hills and from the troops stationed in the 
plain. 

With Langley he had worked out a series of simple 
evolutions, much on the lines of those followed in naval 
tactics, and, with the “ Victor ” leading, the airships 
circled slowly round the city. Then they dropped to a 
lesser elevation and made across the plain on which the 
troops were stationed. They hung with scarcely a 
tremor some thirty feet above the earth, in a well-dressed 
line, and then at the firing of a battery stationed above 


246 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


the crowds on the Morning Hills the troops began 
to march. Led by General Martel and the staff that 
had followed Strong to the balloon ground, they slowly 
moved across the plain just beneath the “ Victor’s ” 
bows. 

General Martel rode, grim and silent, at their head, 
merely lifting his saber to the salute as he passed the 
airship. But the men, having seen the power of Strong, 
and drunk with a sense of the enormous power that had 
suddenly come to them, were not to be bound by dis- 
cipline, and as rank after rank of infantry passed the 
saluting base, the men tore their helmets from their 
heads and hoisted them upon their rifles, and cheered 
and cheered again. It was indeed only by the almost 
superhuman efforts of their officers that they were kept 
marching. 

When the last man had passed. Strong put the air- 
ships up with a jump, and for half an hour or so drove 
the people of Bomberg into a frenzy of delight over the 
evolutions which they performed. 

Before making his ascent. Strong had left with Hertz 
a further proclamation, stating that he proposed that 
very day to proceed to Berlin. 

Strong was not minded, however, to leave Bomberg 
entirely without defenses, or, for that matter, run the 
slightest risk of breeding again a spirit of rebellion, and 
so he had detailed the “ Balkania,” under the charge of 
Bellingham, to remain over the city during his absence. 

It was too late in the day to make for Berlin then, 
so he remained in mid-air all through the afternoon and 
all through the night. And all through the night the 
searchlights from the airships played about the city, 
giving the people there an enormous sense of security 
and peace. 

At five the searchlights were extinguished, and 
Strong steered a straight course for Berlin, leading the 
way in the “ Victor.” The “ Princess,” with Arbuth- 


ON THE WAY TO ARMAGEDDON 247 

not, followed, and then came The State ” and the 
“ Di.” 

It was high noon when they reached Berlin, and 
above the city they could see — her huge bulk shaking 
and quivering in a stiff breeze — the unwieldy war 
balloon, the “ Deutschland.” 

Then Strong’s heart smote him. It seemed so unfair, 
so miserably mean to take such a defenseless vessel. 
But with the plan that he had at the back of his mind 
it was necessary to destroy even the feeble Deutsch- 
land.” He was determined, however, to do the business 
in as sportsmanlike a spirit as he could, and he tele- 
graphed to Churston in the “ Di ” to say that to him 
would fall the task of either destroying or capturing the 
enemy single-handed. 

Now, Churston was merely a lad, and being enor- 
mously healthy, grinned delightedly to himself at the 
prospect of coming to grips with the Germans ; and 
while the three great airships hung in a line overhead he 
descended on a level with the “ Deutschland ” and 
signaled to her to surrender. He was careful, however, 
not to approach too close, for he saw that the “ Deutsch- 
land ” carried six men, and that those men were armed. 
And he knew that one stray bullet getting home would 
suffice, not merely to destroy him, but to set the ‘‘ Di ” 
adrift, and thereby lessen Strong’s chances. 

Strong, indeed, had done an exceedingly risky thing 
in selecting the “ Di ” for battle. The “ Di ” was the 
smallest and most mobile of the craft, and therefore it 
was upon the “ Di ” that he relied for making the rapid 
ascents and descents which he had planned for himself 
in Berlin. He had, however, immense faith in Churston, 
and, moreover, he desired to see for himself as a very 
practical experiment how such an airship as the Di ” 
would shape in battle with a war balloon such as the 
‘‘ Deutschland.” 

The Germans stolidly ignored the signal calling on 


248 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


them to surrender. Four of them stood squarely at 
their posts, each man with his rifle, while two of them 
wrestled with the cumbersome mechanism of the great 
dirigible in a vain endeavor to bring her on a level with 
the “ Di.” But as they rose, so did the “ Di,” and then, 
more or less as a demonstration of his powers, Churston 
began rapidly to circle above them, as vultures circle 
above a carcass before they swoop to their foul meal. 
Some minutes were spent in these exercises, when 
Churston, not desiring to receive peremptory instruc- 
tions from Strong, which would practically signify that 
he was not conducting the battle as he should, decided 
that if the “ Deutschland ” would not surrender, and 
that the difference in his resources and those of the 
enemy prevented a fair fight, it would be necessary to 
sink her. So, rising first to a considerable height in 
order to escape the range of their rifles, he placed him- 
self immediately overhead, and then rapidly descended 
until he was within a couple of hundred yards above the 
Deutschland’s ” enormous gas-bag. 

Since it was perfectly impossible for the enemy to 
reach him with rifle fire, they lay at his mercy. So 
pitifully, indeed, did they lie at his mercy that it was 
with some hesitation that he took up one of the little 
hand shells of Langley’s contriving, and dropped it fair 
and square into the “ Deutschland.” There was a 
blinding flash as the shell exploded in the gas, and the 
flames leaped up so high that Churston could feel the 
warmth of them. But the balloon of the “ Deutsch- 
land ” was constructed in air-tight compartments, so 
that only a portion of the bag was tom away. But the 
flames set up a fire that began rapidly to devour the gas- 
bag, and the ‘‘ Deutschland,” amid a continuous succes- 
sion of explosions and puff’s of flame, began slowly to 
drift earthwards. From the “ Victor ” Strong had been 
noting the sensation in the town beneath, and if ever 
a city were in a panic, Berlin was in a panic now. 


ON THE WAY TO ARMAGEDDON 249 


Every strip of street was black with people, gazing 
upwards with white, tense faces, as their first hope of 
safety sank slowly but surely towards the city over 
which Strong hung. 

He observed with great admiration that the Germans 
stuck pluckily to their posts, and in spite of the fact 
that cell after cell in the balloon was burning and ex- 
ploding, and that, therefore, bit by bit her chances of 
keeping afloat were rapidly diminishing, the men in 
charge of her were doing their utmost to struggle 
towards the barrack ground at the back of the Central 
Station, in which the Kaiser’s aeroplanes were building. 

But Strong, while he admired the Germans’ pluck, 
was by no means pleased to think that they should 
escape him. He desired to capture them if he could. 
But could he.?^ 

Si^aling to “ The State ” and the “ Princess ” to 
remain stationary, he made a sudden swoop, and came 
on a level with the rapidly-sinking Deutschland.” 
He then put towards her at a fair rate of speed, signal- 
ing to her to surrender, and threatening her that if she 
would not haul down her flag he would order the Di ” 
to dash her to destruction. 

The stolid Germans worked bravely on, paying not 
the slightest heed to his signals, and Strong, in a sudden 
outburst of rage, which scattered his discretion, made 
a sudden dash over the “ Deutschland.” But the men 
on her were heroically steady. As the ‘‘ Victor ” came 
on they lined the side, and five rifles went to five shoul- 
ders. There was a puff of smoke from the five guns, 
and only a swift finger on the controlling board saved 
the “ Victor ” from being riddled. 

This steadied Strong, and he cast about for some 
means to capture the Deutschland,” which was now 
sinking faster and faster towards the barrack ground. 
But he had to let her go — there was no help for it. 

The balloon drove slowly down until it grated along 


250 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


the steel roof of the under-ground sheds in which the 
airships were being built. As the “ Deutschland ” 
descended, the barrack square swarmed with troops, and 
Strong decided to leave them to their work. 

He then put up to the level of the other airships, and 
made across the few hundred yards or so that divided 
him from the Chancellerie, where he knew the wireless 
was installed. 

From the Chancellerie Strong got into communica- 
tion with the castle, and demanded an instant parley 
with the Kaiser, but he was informed that the, Kaiser 
was at Potsdam, and that in any case it would be 
impossible to communicate with him. 

‘‘ I will see about that,” Strong ticked back. Berlin 
is swarming with people — people, I presume, that it is 
the desire of the Prussian Government to protect. But 
if you fail to place me in communication with the Kaiser 
direct, I shall have no scruple in laying this city in ruins, 
to the best of my ability.” ^ 

He had no intention of doing any such thing, but 
the threat told. The easy manner in which he had dealt 
with the Deutschland ” had struck fear into the official 
mind. 

Presently there came an snswer that the Kaiser would 
communicate with him. He was given to understand 
that any message which he now repeated would be 
passed on by telephone to Potsdam. 

Strong did not spare the Kaiser. Adopting a con- 
versational tone, he twitted the Emperor on the past. 
“ You see, I have come back. Your Majesty,” he ticked, 
“ even as I said I would. Now I require your presence 
in Berlin.” 

The answer was : “ The Kaiser remains in Potsdam.” 

Again Strong uttered his threat of destruction of 
Berlin, and the reply came this time in amended form: 
‘‘ His Majesty, seeing that duty calls him to the post of 
danger, has decided to return to Berlin at once, and if 


ON THE WAY TO ARMAGEDDON 251 


Mr. Strong chooses he can have parley with him there.” 

It was a full two hours, however, before any further 
communication came, and, hovering above Unter den 
Linden, Strong was able to note the furious passage of 
the Kaiser’s car from the gates of the Thiergarten, up 
the double avenue, across the bridge over the Spree, and 
to the castle. 

It was the Kaiser who made the first overture, and a 
message was sent asking whether Strong would elect to 
have a personal interview with His Majesty. 

Strong ticked back : ‘‘ To-day is Saturday. I can 
conceive of no more pleasant method of enjoying His 
Majesty’s society than that he should be my guest for 
the week-end at Potsdam. As, however, it is incon- 
venient for me that the Kaiser should call to-night, I 
am graciously disposed to postpone his visit to the mor- 
row. I shall therefore expect him at noon.” 

The reply which he got was that it was impossible 
for His Imperial Majesty to consent to any such pro- 
posal. 

‘‘ Potsdam is the Kaiser’s, and not Mr. Strong’s, and 
Potsdam will remain the residence of the German 
Emperor.” 

All that Strong made answer was : “ We shall see.” 
And he shut off the instrument. 


CHAPTER XIX 


THE WAR LORD FINDS A MASTER 

In the ‘‘ Victor ” Strong went straight to Potsdam, 
knowing the distance was so short that he could con- 
veniently reopen negotiations with the palace via the 
Chancellerie the moment it became necessary so to do. 
Berlin, he was satisfied, was in a salutary state of panic. 
In the presence of a danger greater than the Prussian 
Government had ever been forced to face before. Strong 
guessed pretty shrewdly that the Social Democratic 
organs, utterly regardless of the cause of their country, 
would not scruple to use the opportunity of making 
themselves felt. 

That would be an additional thorn in the side of the 
Kaiser, and the more thorns that Strong could plant 
there the better he would be pleased. 

From all quarters came the sounds of bugles, and it 
was apparent that the troops were being rapidly moved 
from their barracks and massed in the streets and 
squares. In front of the palace, sitting stolid and si- 
lent on their horses, were the white-coated troopers of 
the Guard, while regiment after regiment of gray-coated 
infantry was massed in almost every street. The Pots- 
dam gaiTison was a strong one. Strong knew how 
utterly impotent were the forces paraded beneath him, 
and his only disquieting thought was that the Kaiser 
might be sufficiently obstinate to necessitate the massa- 
cer of brave men. This, however, he was determined 
to prevent if by any means he could do so. Therefore, 
picking up the wireless instrument once more, he pro- 
ceeded again to tick-tack inquiries to the Chancellerie. 

252 


THE WAR LORD FINDS A MASTER 253 


“ You will be good enough,” he rapped, ‘‘ to inform 
His Majesty that I desire the garrison of Potsdam to 
be withdrawn forthwith.” He uttered no threats as to 
what would happen if his instructions were not obeyed. 
He realized that it is always the weaker way to give 
reasons when one issues a command. 

The answer came: ‘‘His Majesty declines to do 
anything of the sort.” 

Strong ticked back: “His Majesty is exceedingly 
foolish, and I have no hesitation in telling him of the 
fact. I trust His Majesty will see that it is utterly 
useless to deny me, and that to dispute my authority 
will simply result in disaster to his troops.” 

There was no answer. 

But Strong, anxious lest he should give the impres- 
sion that he was in any way hesitating, continued his 
monologue on the machine as follows: “ So long as it 
is possible for me to do so, I shall respect the lives of 
the Emperor’s soldiers and subjects in general, but as 
it is absolutely necessary for me to enter into possession 
of Potsdam before dark, I shall immediately proceed to 
demolish all the various buildings, which, I presume. 
His Majesty would prefer to keep intact. I may add,” 
he ticked on, “ that the demolition of buildings will con- 
tinue until such time as I receive information from His 
Majesty that he has had enough of the fruits of his 
obstinacy.” Once more, before he proceeded to action, 
he demanded if the Kaiser had any reply to make. 

But the instrument remained silent. 

So, ordering the “ State ” and the “ Princess ” to 
remain with the “ Di,” he himself proceeded in the 
“ Victor ” across Sanssouci Park to the famous wind- 
mill, the miller of which defied even the great Frederick 
himself. 

Now Strong had visited Sanssouci Park before, and 
was of sufficiently a romantic temperament to regret 
the necessity of destroying a monument so venerable 


^54 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


and so picturesque. But even the quaintness and the 
history of the windmill did not disturb his purpose to 
the slightest degree, and in less than three minutes the 
windmill was a blazing mass of ruins. 

Before Strong put the ‘‘ Victor ” on he debated with 
himself as to whether it would not be better next to 
destroy the Orangery or the palace. With a view to 
the fact that he must subsequently return to Potsdam 
as victor of Europe, he was half inclined to leave the 
palace intact. 

He saw, however, that to carry out his purpose of 
staying the week-end in Potsdam itself it would be far 
easier for him to sleep in the Orangery than in the pal- 
ace. Without any further scruples he proceeded to 
drop shell after shell into the palace, until the flames 
spurted up and the great mass of building was rapidly 
in the grip of an unextinguishable fire. He was operat- 
ing from such an altitude that, with the aid of glasses, 
he could easily observe the movements of the troops of 
all arms of the paraded garrison beneath him. And 
the garrison was powerless. 

Strong had noted during his previous observations 
that, whereas all the cavalry and infantry that could be 
mustered had been called hurriedly to arms, there had 
been no signs of artillery; and so, while the palace 
blazed, he determined with the aid of shell to investigate 
the mystery of the missing guns. 

His old-time knowledge of Potsdam enabled him 
easily to pick out, even from the height at which he 
was, the long line of the artillery barracks, and towards 
these he moved, and, when he hung over them, carefully 
dropped a shell fair and square through the roof of the 
building which he knew housed the guns. The effect 
was immediate. Where all had been silence and deso- 
lation a few moments before, there now was a scene of 
animation which amounted to confusion. Bugles rang 
wildly. From their quarters the artillerymen in pa- 


THE WAR LORD FINDS A MASTER 255 


rade uniform dashed to the stables, and in a few sec- 
onds, with marvelous precision and speed, the guns were 
horsed and came clattering out of the sheds. Once in 
the broad, open roadway they fell into line, and, at a 
brisk trot, jangled towards the parade ground beyond 
the barracks of the Guards. 

Strong laughed a little to himeslf to think how easily 
he had disturbed the hornets’ nest, and laughed all the 
more when he considered how utterly impossible it was 
for the moving engines of destruction beneath him to 
harm him in any way. 

At this moment Strong was conscious of flashes 
within the disc of the wireless, but to these he turned a 
blind eye. 

Quickly and easily he set the barracks of the artillery 
alight from end to end, and then moved above what he 
knew full well was the magazine. 

To Strong’s eye, already experienced in detecting 
the motives of maneuvering troops, it was obvious that 
his position and movements were being carefully 
watched and accurately reported to whosoever might 
be commanding the army below. For, as he swung over 
the magazine, other bugles rang out, and such troops 
as were still stationed in the immediate neighborhood 
began to move away at the double. 

This made it abundantly apparent to Strong , what 
must be the eflPect if he dropped a shell from the Vic- 
tor ” into the magazine itself. Overboard, therefore, 
went a shell, and there came a blinding sheet of flame 
and a report which made the “ Victor ” quiver. The 
cloud of smoke which followed the explosion was so 
dense that a quarter of an hour elapsed before the air 
had cleared sufficiently for Strong to observe the effect 
of his last shell. 

When at last the smoke had rolled away, even Strong 
was astonished at the effect of the blowing up of the 
magazine. The barracks opposite were in ruins, while 


256 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


all the windows in Potsdam had been shivered to atoms. 
Under the cover of the smoke the troops had been con- 
centrated on the plain beyond the railway station at 
the southern edge of the park. The whole garrison 
of Potsdam was now drawn up as though for some 
gigantic review. 

Till then he had been too busy with various matters 
to look at the wireless, but, glancing at it now. Strong 
observed that flashes under the glass disc were coming 
quick and fast. Evidently some one was in a panic — 
possibly the Emperor feared that from the destruction 
of property Strong might proceed to taking lives, and, 
as he had no wish to be forced into this. Strong began 
to pick up the thread of the urgent messages with which 
he was being bombarded. 

The ticking from the Chancellerie was rather wild 
and Strong had some little difficulty in reading the 
message. It was to the effect that the Kaiser, for the 
sake of peace, and in the interests of his subjects, was 
prepared to surrender Potsdam to Mr. Strong if he 
would consent to take no further action against the 
capital. 

Strong ticked back that he accepted the surrender 
of Potsdam, but would accept no conditions attached to 
such a surrender. Nor would he consider the surrender 
complete until he had seen the whole garrison march 
into Berlin. “ And, Heaven knows,” he added, ‘‘ that 
the Kaiser will need the flower of his troops if he con- 
tinues in this folly.” 

There was a little pause, and then he received this 
curiously terse message, which he felt sure came from 
the Emperor himself. It was : “ A triumph such as 

this cannot endure for long.” 

Strong immediately made answer : ‘ Sufficient for 

the day is the evil thereof,’ and it were better for His 
Majesty if, instead of attempting to enter into a philo- 


THE WAR LORD FINDS A MASTER 257 


sophical discussion he would grasp the essential facts of 
the case and order the withdrawal of the garrison.” 

To his immense relief Strong received back the mes- 
sage that Potsdam capitulated, and that without fur- 
ther delay the whole garrison would be ordered back to 
the capital. 

It was now growing dusk, and Strong intimated to 
the Chancellerie that he would supervise the withdrawal 
of the garrison with the aid of searchlights. 

“ And, mark you,” he continued to tap, “ that while 
it pains me to suggest that His Majesty could possibly 
be guilty of treachery, I would warn him against tak- 
ing any desperate risks. If His Majesty, in the hope 
of overwhelming me in the night, proposes to leave a 
small body of volunteers behind to attempt to encom- 
pass my destruction, his last state wiU be worse than 
his first. I want it to be realized clearly, not only by 
His Majesty but by all his subjects, that if any harm 
befalls me, the harm that will afterwards befall the 
earth will be the most appalling catastrophe that the 
world has ever suffered. What now becomes of me is of 
practically small account. The work that I have be- 
gun will be carried on by those I leave behind. I have 
placed the small kingdom of Balkania in the possession 
of a power such as no other kingdom has ever known, 
and even though, by some accident or treachery, I cease 
to be Dictator of the Earth, there will remain behind 
those who will chastise the world with scorpions for the 
wrong done to me.” 

For answer came the message: His Majesty ob- 

jects to Mr. Strong’s tone.” 

Strong made reply : “ I am adopting the most con- 

venient tone possible. The sooner His Majesty real- 
izes that it is my privilege to adopt whatsoever tone I 
choose, the better for him and the better for his people. 
It is not for him to argue, but to obey. If,” he went 


^58 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


on, “ there is any further dispute upon this point I 
shall proceed to further destruction.” 

He paused for a few moments, waiting for some an- 
swer. But the wait that followed was long and om- 
inous. He saw that he had been somewhat severe with 
the Emperor, and to some small extent desired to make 
amends, and, thinking it better, while he could not deal 
with His Majesty personally, to appeal to his sense of 
honor, he ticked again as follows : 

“ Personally, I would rather trust to His Majesty’s 
sense of honor and to his discretion than to any force 
of threats on my part. Be kind enough, therefore, to 
inform His Majesty that I am about to trust him. I 
shall sleep in Sanssouci to-night in the Orangery, under 
the cover of shells of my airships, and I rely upon the 
Emperor’s honor to see that no attempt will be made 
upon my safety or my comfort.” 

In a little while the answer came that Strong might 
trust His Majesty, and this emboldened Strong to make 
a further request. 

“ Naturally,” he ticked, ‘‘ some servants of His 
Majesty will have been left at Potsdam. I require but 
few — a couple of cooks and three footmen will suffice 
me — but as I have had enough of campaigning for the 
present, and wish to enjoy a small amount of comfort, 
I shall take it as a favor if His Majesty will issue in- 
structions that servants shall be left at the Orangery 
for my convenience. In making this request I do so 
without any threat behind it, and if it is refused I shall 
not extort a condition. I ask it as a favor, preferring, 
for this night at any rate, to regard myself as His Maj- 
esty’s guest rather than His Majesty’s enemy.” 

This Strong knew would appeal to the chivalrous 
and hospitable side of the Emperor’s nature, and he was 
not mistaken, for, after a comparatively short delay, 
he received assurance that the servants he asked for 
would be left at his disposal in the Orangery. 


THE WAR LORD FINDS A MASTER 259 


Soon it became apparent that the Kaiser was fulfill- 
ing his promise by issuing orders to the commandant at 
Potsdam, and by the aid of the searchlights Strong 
watched the garrison march out. 

When the tail of the column had disappeared, Strong 
received a further message from the Chancellerie. 

“ You will understand,” he read, “ that while the 
Emperor guarantees your safety so far as he is con- 
cerned, and will fulfill his word absolutely and entirely, 
His Majesty cannot guarantee Mr. Strong’s reception 
at the hands of the Potsdam populace.” 

Strong rapped back : “ If I have nothing to fear 

from the Kaiser’s troops, then I should have nothing to 
fear for his civilian subjects. At least, the risk is 
mine.” 

Strong decided, for mobility’s sake, that he would 
descend in the “ Di,” and with him he tpok Arbuthnot 
and three of the Balkanian officers upon whom he knew 
he could rely. 

The weight of the five men made the navigation of 
the “ Di ” a little perilous, but not so perilous as to 
prevent Strong from determining to make only one de- 
scent. 

To the commanders of the three airships he left am- 
ple instructions. They were to lie only fifty feet above 
the Orangery Pala.ce in a triangle. Their lights were 
to be kept going throughout the night, so that any 
movement or any treachery — although Strong did not 
expect any — could be instantly detected, and in such 
a position that any onslaught on the Orangery could 
be resisted not only by shell-fire, but by rifles. 

Strong then put down to the open space before the 
doors of the pavilion, and was the first to set foot in the 
grounds. Churston he ordered to remain in the ‘‘ Di,” 
thinking it unwise to leave the airship without a guard. 

Then he and the three Balkanian officers ascended the 
steps of the pavilion, and on the threshold were met by 


260 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


two obsequious servants, all of whom, greatly to 
Strong’s relief, though somewhat to his astonishment, 
spoke English. The servants received him as they 
might have done any honored guest, and a most British- 
looking butler asked Strong to follow him into a little 
sitting-room on the right. 

“ I thought, sir,” he said, by way of explanation, 

that you and the other gentlemen would be more com- 
fortable here than in the larger apartments. I have 
received instructions,” the man went on, ‘‘ that you 
will require dinner at about eight o’clock. Dinner will 
be ready, and will be served in the dining-room. In 
the meantime, if you will allow me, and if such is your 
wish, I will conduct you to your sleeping apartment.” 

Upon this Strong expressed himself satisfied, and 
ordered dinner to be served. But first he went up to 
the really splendid room which had been prepared for 
him and removed as best he could the stains of the day’s 
work. Change of clothes he had none. As he entered 
the dining-room. Strong had one unworthy and short- 
lived fear lest the food which was being served might be 
poisoned. But he reflected instantly that, whatever 
faults he might possess, the Kaiser at least was not a 
poisoner. So he sat down in confidence and glanced at 
the faces of the three officers who were with him, and 
apparently they, too, had had some such suspicion as 
had floated across the mind of Strong, for they looked 
doubtfully at their soup and waited until Strong had 
taken several spoonfuls before they fell to themselves. 
The dinner was indeed excellent, being both elaborate 
and well served. The wine also was good, so that when 
dessert came Strong and the Balkanian officers were all 
in a quite sanguine and contented frame of mind. 

Even after this, however. Strong decided it would be 
unwise to relinquish any precautions, and in this he con- 
sidered he was fully justified, inasmuch as he was prac- 
tically in the enemy’s camp, although a truce might have 


THE WAR LORD FINDS A MASTER 261 


been temporarily declared. He therefore allotted the 
room on either side of him to two of the officers, while 
the third he posted on duty in the corridor. His own 
room was directly over the portico, so that Churston in 
the ‘‘ Di ” was immediately beneath. 

For once in his life. Strong, partly with an eye to 
effect, resolved not to take any part in the night’s vigil. 
He divided the watches equally between the three Bal- 
kanian officers and Churston. Two of the men were 
to remain on duty — one in the “ Di ” and one in the 
pavilion — till three, when the other two men were to 
relieve them. Thus the night was spent, and in the 
morning Strong rose refreshed and considerably re- 
lieved in mind that no incident had disturbed his peace. 

At ten o’clock he got into communication with the 
Chancellerie by wireless, and extended a polite invita- 
tion to the Kaiser to lunch with him at mid-day. To 
this he received a curt intimation that His Majesty 
could not possibly accept an invitation of so insulting 
a kind. 

Now the pavilion was so entirely cut off from the 
rest of the world that no news, not even a rumor of 
what was passing in Berlin, could possibly reach Strong, 
and before pressing the matter further he desired to 
ascertain what was happening in the Prussian capital. 

To this end he dispatched Arbuthnot in the “ Prin- 
cess ” to reconnoiter Berlin and report immediately 
what was moving there, and while he awaited the return 
of the “ Princess ” he strolled, with a sense of a man 
walking in complete security, about the grounds of 
Sanssouci. First he walked across the grass beneath 
the cedar trees towards the palace, the ruins of which 
were still smoking or fitfully blazing. Continuing his 
walk, he passed by the ashes of the windmill, and was 
academically regretful at the destruction of a place of 
such antiquarian interest. But, shaking this feeling 
off, he straightened his back again and marched with a 


S63 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


brisker step back to the pavilion, and as he reached the 
entrance, the ‘‘ Princess,” fresh from her mission to 
Berlin, swung by overhead. The “ Princess ” came 
down easily enough, and Arbuthnot shouted his report 
over the side. 

It appeared that Berlin was in a panic, that the 
whole of the garrison, in addition to the troops that 
had marched into the city from Potsdam, was paraded 
in the streets, and that, in spite of this enormous force, 
the soldiers were having considerable difficulty in hold- 
ing back the surging crowds from invading the precincts 
of the palace. It was apparent, too, that meetings 
were being held in every quarter of the town to consider 
the situation, and, although it was impossible to make 
sure of this it was fairly obvious that great pressure 
was being brought to bear on the Government to come 
to terms with Strong. 

This was all that Strong desired to learn, and, enter- 
ing the pavilion, he immediately began to open up fresh 
negotiations with the Chancellerie. It seemed a little 
cowardly to do so ; it seemed rather like hitting a man 
when he is down; but, none the less, he was forced to 
take again to threats. Therefore he rapped out very 
sharply to the Chancellerie a further formal invitation 
to the Kaiser to lunch. 

Again it was refused. 

Strong, without a moment’s hesitation, then declared 
that, should the Kaiser not change his mind, he would 
take the airships over Berlin and immediately demolish 
the palace. 

Some minutes elapsed before the final answer came, 
and then the reply he got was: “ Very well. His Maj- 
esty will be in Potsdam at one o’clock.” 

From the stables Strong ordered a couple of horses, 
and as one o’clock drew near he mounted one of them 
and ordered Arbuthnot to take the other. Then to- 
gether the two men trotted down to the gates of the 


THE WAR LORD FINDS A MASTER 263 


park, where there remained only the old lodge-keeper. 
For, though sentries had been offered to him. Strong 
had declined their services, thinking that sentries were 
more likely to add to his danger than to his safety. 

The Kaiser was punctual. At about five minutes to 
one Strong saw a smart cavalcade coming at a quick 
pace along the main thoroughfare of the town. 

Two Ulilans rode before a couple of high-hung lan- 
daus, each drawn by four horses, mounted by postil- 
lions. The Emperor evidently intended to signify that 
his visit was one of state. 

Strong’s quick eye soon counted the muster of men, 
and he read in the fact that there were but four troop- 
ers, one mounted officer, and three members of the Kai- 
ser’s suite, one driving with the Emperor in his carriage, 
and the other gentlemen in the carriage which followed, 
that His Majesty wished to ease his enemy’s mind to 
the best of his ability. 

Realizing this. Strong was grateful for the Emperor’s 
consideration, and rode out through the gates to meet 
him. The Uhlans saluted him as he passed them, and 
drew up beside the Emperor’s carriage. 

Even at that moment Strong found time in which 
to feel a little delighted at the study of expression which 
the Kaiser’s face afforded. Its lines were as stern and 
set as ever, yet there was a suspicion of a smile be- 
neath the Emperor’s mustache and a little sparkle in 
his eyes, more suggestive of admiration than of antag- 
onism. 

Having no desire to meet with a rebuff. Strong did 
not extend his hand, but contented himself with raising 
his hat. 

The Kaiser, however, leaning out of the carriage, 
held out his own hand to Strong, and, feeling that it 
would be discourteous, not to say foolish in the extreme, 
to refuse the greeting. Strong reached out his own hand 
too. 


^64 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


“ The retinue which I have brought,” said the Kai- 
ser, speaking in English, “ is, as you will observe, not 
a large one. I had no wish to embarrass you by num- 
bers, in spite of your omnipotence.” The Kaiser 
laughed a short, little laugh. 

Strong was about to offer a free passage to the entire 
party when the Kaiser interrupted. 

“ It will not be necessary,” he said, for the troop- 
ers to accompany the carriages. They have been in- 
structed to remain at the gates. Although, of course, 
I come here against my will, I realize that I shall be 
treated as a gentleman, and it will content me if the 
officers whom I have brought with me may be included 
in the luncheon party wliich you have so generously 
arranged.” Again the Kaiser laughed his short little 
laugh. 

“ Your Majesty,” said Strong, “ I have not the 
slightest desire to exclude your troopers. Believe me, 
they will be very welcome to Potsdam.” 

The Kaiser glanced at Strong quickly, but a shade 
of annoyance crossed his face. “ No,” he said sharply, 
‘‘ I shall not intrude to that extent. I prefer to visit 
you, as I might call it, unarmed.” 

“ Just as Your Majesty pleases,” said Strong, mak- 
ing a little bow. 

The troopers falling back, the carriages rolled on, 
Strong riding by the Emperor’s side. 

Arbuthnot, Churston and Wildney, with the Bal- 
kanian officers, were on the steps to greet them, and as 
the Emperor’s carriage drew up they all saluted with 
drawn swords. It was, indeed, a not imposing little 
demonstration. 

Lunch was served immediately, and in the course of 
it Strong spoke no words of politics or business. They 
discussed matters of general interest, such as the latest 
installation of wireless, the theater, and the like. At 
the conclusion of luncheon Strong toasted the Emperor 


THE WAR LORD FINDS A MASTER 265 


with a few simple words, making no reference to the 
great matter which had drawn him to Potsdam, In 
turn the Kaiser lifted his glass to Strong. 

Finally Strong rose from his seat and said to the 
Emperor: “ If Your Majesty will allow me to suggest 
it, I propose that we should leave these gentlemen here 
and discuss a cigar and other matters in my private 
room.” 

When they were alone, and Strong had seen to it 
that the Kaiser was comfortably seated, he politely 
offered the Emperor one of his own cigars, saying, with 
a pleasant though slightly ironical laugh, “I have the 
best reason for assuring Your Majesty that these cigars 
are -really excellent.” 

Strong then dropped his bantering air and, leaning 
forward in his seat, spoke to His Majesty earnestly. 

You will forgive me,” he said, “ if I monopolize the 
conversation, but I have a good deal to say, and must 
say it quickly. First of all, let me thank you for the 
manner in which you have behaved towards me. I, 
for my part, desire to do nothing which would cause 
you unnecessary humiliation. I do not suggest, for the 
present at least, that you should inform your subjects 
of the real state of the case, which is that you are abso^ 
lutely in my power. You are aware, of course, of the 
steps which I have taken to secure the withdrawal of the 
Russian troops from my frontiers. It will also be nec- 
essary for me to take steps to secure the cessation of 
hostilities on the part of France and yourself. Now 
with France I can easily deal, but with you it is another 
matter. I assure you, without desiring to flatter you, 
that I have always entertained for you the utmost ad- 
miration. It is only that which is responsible for my 
really earnest desire to save you all unnecessary pain. 
I am, therefore, about to make a proposition to you, 
which I give you my word of honor shall be regarded as 
a secret compact between ourselves. I feel — speaking 


S66 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


as a sportsman — that what I have already achieved 
has been too easy in the achievement. And I feel this 
all the more as a practical man because the very fact 
that I have not had to fight hard for my existence will 
not in the end secure me that measure of universal popu- 
larity which I desire. So I propose, after to-night, to 
leave Germany severely alone, provided I have a guar- 
antee that your troops do not cross the frontier until 
your aeroplanes have met my airships and the issue has 
been definitely decided, either in your favor or mine.” 

The Kaiser drew in a sharp breath, and a gleam shot 
into his eyes. Strong saw quickly enough that His 
Majesty was hoping still. 

‘‘ You are building three airships of the aeroplane 
description. I already possess four airships of whose 
powers I think you have had quite sufficient proof. I 
do not desire to use my weight of numbers, I am pre- 
pared to await the completion of your airships, and then 
detail three of mine to meet three of yours. We will 
abide by the result of the conflict. My reason for mak- 
ing this proposition is not wholly one-sided. I do it in 
the interests of peace, and for the sake of saving human 
lives. 

If you launch your armies against my frontier,” 
Strong continued, “ I shall simply be compelled to wipe 
them out by means of my airships. And you, as a 
soldier, must see how events will go then. And I do not 
think you are a man of the same craven spirit as Napo- 
leon. You would not send thousands of men to what 
you knew must be certain annihilation. When your 
aeroplanes are ready I shall take the air myself, and I 
propose that you — for, after all, your stake will be no 
greater than mine — should command your own aero- 
planes. And we will fight the thing out as fairly and 
squarely as we can, and each of us, for the sake of the 
rest of the world, shall abide by the result.” 


THE WAR LORD FINDS A MASTER ^6T 


The Kaiser rose from his seat, and it was obvious to 
Strong that he was greatly agitated. 

You need say no more, Mr. Strong. You need say 
no more. I will apologize to you for anything I may 
have said. I realize your abilities. I realize your 
power, and I am prepared to meet you in the way that 
you propose, on an equal footing. Believe me, though 
I am perhaps one of the proudest of men, it gives me an 
infinite amount of pleasure to acknowledge you as an 
equal and to extend you my right hand of friendship.” 

Strong gripped the Kaiser’s hand. 

“ Good,” he said. And when it is all over,” he 
added, “ and if both of us should happen to be alive, I 
give you my word that, whether conqueror or van- 
quished, I will as gladly shake hands with you then as I 
shake hands with you now.” 

Once more the Kaiser shook Strong by the hand, and 
immediately afterwards drove back to Berlin. 


CHAPTER XX 


DIANA FLOUTS HER FATHER 

The heroic mood in which Strong left Diana soon 
flowed from her like an ebbing tide — left her weak 
and with a sense of utter helplessness. But reaction 
followed reaction, and after her first misery at his de- 
parture, she became to a certain extent her own strong 
self again. But the days were long — how long she 
never knew until afterwards — and the trials sore and 
many. 

The King, her father, seemed to have lost all sense 
of love and even honor. He set about in the most cold- 
blooded and casual way playing a fiendish game with 
Diana’s health and sanity. It was necessary to his 
purpose that she should be regarded as mad. It was 
to his ultimate good that she should remain sane, and 
it required great subtlety of thought and action to bal- 
ance the real sanity against the prompted madness. 

Following on Strong’s escape, the King brought 
again to the hotel the two doctors who, at his bidding, 
had certified Diana as without her senses. They were 
sleek and urbane men, as is the way with some rogues, 
and they conveyed to Diana herself just sufficient sug- 
gestion of her mental derangement to breed in her mind 
a doubt of her own senses. 

When, indeed, they left her she fell once more into a 
state of hysteria for which no one could blame her. So 
prolonged was it, and so passionate, that even the King 
was alarmed, and he saw that if he were to play an ex- 
ceedingly dangerous game with success he must at least 
leave Diana her one consolation, the old woman Felice. 

268 


DIANA FLOUTS HER FATHER 


269 


It was to her that Diana had clung, and upon her 
breast that Diana had sobbed and cried, and in her arras 
at last that Diana had found calm and afterwards sleep. 

The King wagged his head to himself as he thought 
of the matter afterwards, and dubbed Felice the safety- 
valve of Diana’s feelings. In this he was right. In- 
deed but for Felice it is doubtful if Diana could possibly 
have borne the strain of the days that were to come. 

The King left for The Hague — left Diana to the 
care of two sleek doctors, a woman attendant, and Fe- 
lice. Ludwig went with the King, grumbling and reluc- 
tant. In her tense state of nerves that was at least 
something, but after his departure there was nothing 
but infinite dullness. 

She was for twenty-four hours the ninth wonder of 
the Parisian world. Crowds stood outside the hotel 
watching her windows, in comparative silence for a 
Parisian multitude. Those people at least she could 
see; of her more immediate neighbors she knew com- 
paratively little. Had she been able to know more, the 
hardship of the watching might have been lessened, for 
it is always interesting to know what people are inter- 
ested in oneself. 

Jimmy Cloud did his best to cast off his callousness 
to all about him. Out of friendship for Strong he 
haunted the Grand Hotel a great deal more than pleased 
him, and at least satisfied himself that all was well as 
far as Diana’s physical being went. Had he been a 
man of a shade more gentle feeling he would have real- 
ized the mental stress to which Diana was put. But all 
his comprehension lay in his pleasure in physical en- 
durance and the subsequent physical effects. He did 
not understand the anguish of mind which Diana was 
suffering. His method, indeed, was that of the com- 
fortable warder, who, charged with the superintendence 
of the condemned man, contents himself with seeing that 
the criminal’s stomach is filled. 


^70 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Though Diana was allowed books, she was denied 
papers, and therefore, though Paris hummed with the 
news of Strong’s exploits, with the news of the can- 
tankerous Conference at The Hague, and with the news 
of the movements of the troops of Europe, she would, 
but for Felice, have known nothing of what was passing. 

Day by day Diana felt her girlhood slipping from 
her, until at last she found herself a woman with only 
the task before her of being strong to endure, and she 
set her mind to the most heroic task in the world — the 
task of waiting. 

After several days the King came back from The 
Hague. He put the doctors through a severe cross- 
examination, and he plied even the servants of the hotel 
with searching questions in his desire to discover what 
the princess might know and of what she was in igno- 
rance. He was, however, shrewd enough to see that so 
long as Felice remained with Diana, so long would 
Diana to a certain extent be acquainted with what was 
happening. 

For a while, indeed, he was half persuaded to rob 
Diana of the consolation of Felice. But, rather more 
for his own sake than for his daughter’s, he decided that 
to dismiss Felice would be the last straw beneath which 
Diana’s brain must break. 

Therefore he sought for means whereby he could 
retain his daughter’s sanity and yet destroy her knowl- 
edge of events. It was then that he decided to rent a 
forlorn, forsaken, weather-beaten and moldy mansion at 
Chatou. 

Diana never forgot the journey. It was like going 
into the world again to witness the surprise and the 
anxiety and the interest of the crowd in the vestibule 
of the hotel as she was hurried through the throng to 
the motor car which was to convey her to her prison. 

In the hall the King turned to her and said, “ Felice 
will follow us.” 


DIANA FLOUTS HER FATHER 271 


Now Diana had brains. She had divined, in the long 
intervals that she had for thought, the sinister design 
of her father. And she played upon the insanity that 
he planned for and the madness that he dreaded. 

“ If,” she said to her father, very fiercely, under her 
breath, “ you leave me without Felice, I will not go.” 

“ You will have to,” said the King. 

Diana raised her voice a little. She was conscious 
that the eyes of many were upon her and her father. 
She knew that the power to win what she desired lay 
within her grasp. 

“ If,” she said again to her father, you will not let 
Felice accompany me, I will not accompany you. You 
understand.'^” She raised her voice a little more. “If 
you refuse me I shall scream.” 

Now the King hated scenes. He looked at his daugh- 
ter keenly through his glasses, and then, removing them 
from his nose, polished them thoughtfully in his silk 
handkerchief. He replaced them and said, “ I refuse.” 

Diana raised her voice to half a shriek. “ I will 
have Felice,” she cried. 

The King cast one quick, uneasy glance about him 
and became conscious of the fact that the concentrated 
gaze of many was distinctly hostile. 

“ Felice shall go,” he said. 

It was with the consciousness of victory that Diana 
swept through the doors of the hotel. Her father fol- 
lowed her with puzzled brows. She had won, and yet 
she had lost to the extent of not knowing whither she 
was bound or what would be the outcome of her depar- 
ture. 

They came to Chatou — a pleasant village enough 
beside the Seine — and reached the large and forbidding 
yilla which the King had hired to house his daughter. 

It was one of those plain, square-built old mansions 
of France, with long, slit-like windows covered by green 
shutters and bounded at each corner by a round, red- 


272 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


tiled tower, which are as familiar landmarks in the 
country of France as are wooden-sailed windmills in 
Kent. 

Throughout the journey Diana had thought that at 
the end of her drive she would at least find peace. But 
this was not to be. 

True, she and Felice were allowed to go to the rooms 
which had been set apart for them, but they had s-carcely 
time in which to make their necessary little feminine 
arrangements before one of the doctors knocked per- 
emptorily at the door and informed Diana that the 
King desired to see her. 

Just as she had anticipated, and just as she had 
feared, Ludwig was shuffling uneasily from foot to foot 
behind the King’s straight-backed, cane-seated chair in 
the formal dining-room of the villa. Just as she had 
imagined, just as she had feared, the King spoke to her, 
not as a father speaking to his daughter, but as a man 
speaking to a subordinate. 

He waved his hand towards a chair, and Diana me- 
chanically sat down upon it. 

“ There has been,” said His Majesty, slowly, enough 
of this tomfoolery.” 

“ More than enough,” said Diana. 

“ What I told you in London, and what I told you in 
Bomberg, I repeated in Paris and must repeat here. 
It is necessary, absolutely necessary that you should 
be married at once to Prince Ludwig.” 

Ludwig shuffled more uneasily than ever* from foot 
to foot behind his would-be father-in-law’s chair. 

Diana gathered all her strength within her. “ Rep- 
etition,” she said, ‘‘is vain. You may journey round 
the world and repeat that to me in place after place, but 
my answer will always be the same.” 

A little color crept into the King’s pallid face. “ I 
do not agree with you,” he said coldly. “ I do not wish 
to be vulgar, but I would represent to you the fact that 


DIANA FLOUTS HER FATHER 


the game is up. The perfectly impossible person, Mr. 
Strong, on whom, as an exceedingly foolish girl, you 
have wasted your affection, is now beyond all hope. 
From the latest information that I have received I am 
able to tell you that his airships are of no effect, and 
that the kingdom of Balkania, of which he has possessed 
himself — a kingdom which, I might add, should be 
yours — is hopelessly surrounded and cut off. 

‘‘ I do not wish to be hard on you,” the King went 
on, but, at the same time, I would remind you that it 
is most degrading for a daughter of mine still to pro- 
fess allegiance to an adventurer such as this man 
Strong. I admit that he has destroyed the peace of the 
world for the moment, but that peace can easily be re- 
stored — the more easily and the more quickly if you 
will only have the grace to faU in with my wishes.” 

Then Diana became angry. “ I will never fall in 
with your wishes!” she cried. “Never! It is mon- 
strous to suggest that I should. You may sneer at 
Mr. Strong as much as you please — but if you have to 
sneer at him, you will have to sneer at me. Personally, 
I care nothing for the peace of the world, because I am 
selfish. I do not think that the world would require 
a peace if it thought that I would be sacrificed in its 
interests. 

“ It remains to be seen,” she went on, “ whether 
Mr. Strong’s airships are of no effect. Personally, I 
believe they are more than sufficient for one’s needs. 
In any case, understand me, I definitely refuse to marry 
— that ! ” And she pointed a finger of scorn at the 
shuffling Ludwig. 

The King, taking his glasses from his nose, polished 
them, as was his wont in times of difficulty, with a silk 
handkerchief. Then he replaced them and said, “ That 
is useless protestation. I insist. And to show you 
how much I insist,” His Majesty continued, “ I will see 
that the ceremony is gone through here and now.” He 


274) HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


touched the bell, and a somewhat blear-eyed and wonder- 
ing-looking priest was conducted into the room. 

Diana cast a glance at him, and then, turning to her 
father, said : “ Do you suppose that I am going to 

surrender myself to such a creature as that? ” She 
p'ointed to Ludwig. 

The priest cast a side-long glance at her and drummed 
with his long fingers on the King’s writing-table. 

It was then Diana took her courage in both hands. 
“ You may still call yourself a king,” she cried, “ but 
you are no king. Such a performance as this would 
have been ridiculous even in Balkania. Here it is im- 
possible! I can produce a score of persons to prove 
that you have declared me insane. The marriage of in- 
sane persons is not valid, and therefore you cannot pro- 
ceed.” She then turned quickly about and made to- 
wards the door. 

The King jumped from his seat and motioned to 
Ludwig to intercept Diana. But Ludwig fell back be- 
fore the blaze in her eyes. 

“ Understand me,” she cried, as she stood holding 
the door on the swing, ‘‘ I say this marriage is impossi- 
ble! I tell you now, and I do not care who hears it, 
that I will marry no man except Mr. Strong.” 

White with rage, the King leaped forward and called 
on his daughter to stay. But Diana had closed the 
door behind her. 

Diana shut herself in her room and made a fastness 
of it. She altogether declined to see her father. And 
for two days the King, who had lost his old self-con- 
trol, remained in the villa at Chatou fretting and fum- 
ing. But Diana refused to leave her rooms, even to 
the extent of walking in the garden, and so Ludwig, 
though he haunted the staircase and the corridors, 
never so much as caught a glimpse of her face. 

On the third day most urgent business drew the King 
once again to The Hague. He went in the great car. 


DIANA FLOUTS HER FATHER S75 


in which he now made all his journeys, and Ludwig 
went with him as driver. 

Thereafter Diana left her rooms to wander in the 
dismal garden, which was surrounded on all sides by an 
eight-foot wall. At first one or other of the Balkanian 
doctors dogged her footsteps, but this irritated her to 
such a degree that she sent for them and told them 
frankly that if they did not cease their espionage she 
would refuse to go our. Upon this the two doctors 
took counsel together, for their position was awkward 
in the extreme. 

They feared the wrath of the King should the prin- 
cess by any means contrive to escape. For they knew 
that His Majesty was not the man to let the law stand 
in the way of his revenge. And they feared all tlie 
more because they themselves had by their dexterity 
and unscrupulousness inquired into more than one vio- 
lent and sudden death. 

On the other hand, it was obvious that the princess 
was growing more and more hysterical. It was indeed 
a marvel, seeing all that she had gone through, that 
she bore up so well. For just as the constant dropping 
of water wears away a stone, so was her sanity grad- 
ually being worn away beneath the constant and relent- 
less persecution to which she was subjected. 

They decided, therefore, to let Diana have her way, 
and she walked henceforth unmolested in the garden 
— but there were guards stationed at the gates and 
without the walls. 

Diana was unaware of this, for the simple reason 
that she had almost ceased to care. The time, indeed, 
hung heavily on her hands, and at the end of ten days, 
being still sufficiently collected to think of her peril, 
she became alarmed at the mental apathy into which 
she was falling. 

From what scraps of news she could gather from Fe- 
lice, whose mind was hardly of the order to follow the 


276 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


running of political events, she knew that Strong was 
rough-hewing his way to the throne he had promised 
her. But the difficulties and the dangers with which 
he was beset were many, and she saw that it must mean 
a week, or perhaps a fortnight, or possibly even a 
month, before he fulfilled to the uttermost his boast of 
stealing the earth. 

Could she endure for so long.? While her spirit had 
cried out that she could, the sense of her growing men- 
tal and physical debility told her that she could not. 
Moreover, though her vanity was now dead, she saw 
that if she failed to endure it would mean the end of 
Strong’s new-found dominion of the earth. So she set 
aside her pride and resolved to humble herself to the 
extent of calling on him for help, and returning to 
Bomberg before the dawn of Armageddon. She was 
puzzled, however, to discover means of communicating 
with Strong, for the King had taken away the wireless 
instrument which had been her one consolation in tribu- 
lation. 

It was then that she thought of Jimmy Cloud. 

Accordingly she called Felice to her and told her 
briefly — almost curtly — of the decision to which she 
had come. The old woman clung to her and kissed her 
and sobbed, while she volubly assured Diana that she 
had come to a right determination. So fat and so 
placid, and so altogether comfortable was old Felice 
that the two doctors had never regarded her with that 
suspicion which it would have been well for them to ex- 
ercise. Without let or hindrance Felice walked out of 
the villa, and, making her way on foot to the railway 
station, booked through to Paris. 

Diana was anxious, so anxious that she had no inten- 
tion of allowing Felice to waste any time or run any 
risks. And, therefore, following her instructions the 
old nurse drove straight to Passy^ to the bachelor 
establishment of the redoutable Jimmy. 


DIANA FLOUTS HER FATHER 277 


That young man, having been endeavoring to soothe 
his feelings in time of stress, was just emerging from a 
bout of reading, and as a corrective had taken to a vio- 
lent course of physical culture. When Felice arrived 
in the Rue de Ranelagh he was attired in flannel trou- 
sers and a sweater, and held a dumb-bell in each 
hand. 

The advent of Felice vastly disturbed him. He knew 
she would not have come to Paris unless Diana’s needs 
were urgent. Casting the dumb-bells with a crash to 
the floor, he bundled the greatly flustered old lady into 
a chair. 

Felice was voluble to the extent of incoherency, and 
Cloud could not very well understand the drift of her 
remarks. One thing, however, stood out so plainly that 
it called him to immediate action. The Princess was in 
peril, and if he could not take such means as would 
secure her safety before the return of the King, then he 
would have to make a very lamentable account of his 
doings to a vengeful Strong. 

Indeed, it struck Jimmy that he had shamefully 
neglected his duty. After having vainly tried to get 
into communication with Romberg over the wireless 
for several days, he had, as a matter of fact, abandoned 
his efforts. He was even now fearful lest the instru- 
ment might not be in working order, and it was in some 
trepidation that he fetched it out, having first ordered 
Felice to be still. 

To his joy, however, after some half-hour’s labor, 
he succeeded in attracting the attention of the station at 
Romberg, and he asked to be placed immediately in 
communication with Strong. 

Jimmy found that he had to deal with an exceed- 
ingly angry man. As fast as he could set fingers to the 
keys Strong poured on Cloud’s head a heap of re- 
proaches and a host of demands for an explanation. 

Jimmy could only plead, weakly plead, a breakdown 


278 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


in the instrument, express his contrition, and affirm his 
determination of making up for past neglect. 

Then he was faced with the plain question, ‘‘ What 
do you propose to do ? ” 

He paused for some time, still groping wildly for some 
way of escape. He could find none. He could only tick 
back to Strong the hopeless confession that he did not 
know. 

Strong’s reply was furious. 

“ If I had known,” he tapped, upon what a broken 
reed I was relying I would never have asked you to lend 
a hand in this business. I will not mince words with 
you. You have behaved throughout like a fool and a 
sluggard, and if any harm comes to the princess I tell 
you frankly I shall not scruple to make you suffer for it. 
In the meantime, though you have proved yourself 
throughout an incapable fool, I am compelled to rely on 
you. At the best I cannot reach Paris before to- 
morrow night, and in the meantime much may happen. 
I may arrive too late. One thing, however, is impera- 
tive. I do not mind what refuge you seek, but you must 
remove Diana from the villa before to-morrow evening, 
because I am afraid that the King is now on the way 
back to Paris. And, failing other advisers, I would 
suggest that you should consult with Felice as to the best 
means to this end. I wiU wait here by the instrument 
until I receive your reply.” 

Jimmy ran downstairs into his untidy study, in which 
he had left Felice. The old woman sat with clasped 
hands, rocking herself to and fro, but nevertheless she 
wore a fiercely determined expression. 

“Felice,” cried Jimmy, “you are my only hope — 
you are the princess’s only hope ! I have been in com- 
munication with Mr. Strong, and he tells me that it is a 
case of now or never. Do you see any means of rescuing 
the princess ? ” 

Felice lifted herself heavily and grumblingly from 


DIANA FLOUTS HER FATHER 


279 


her chair, and for a few seconds she wrung her hands. 

To-night, monsieur, to-night it is impossible. We are 
watched. We are always watched night and day. 
There is only one chance, one hope — you must go when 
the princess is in the garden to-morrow.” 

Jimmy felt his courage ebbing away from him as he 
realized the risk attendant on this delay. ‘‘ You are 
sure,” he urged. ‘‘ You are perfectly sure that it is 
impossible to do anything to-night? ” 

Felice could only moan that it was utterly impossible. 

Very well,” he said, “ if it is out of the question to do 
anything to-night, we must of course postpone things 
until to-morrow. You had better return to Chatou. I 
will see for my part that my car is in perfect wprking 
order. I will be at the villa to-morrow afternoon at 
half-past three o’clock. I will be at the main gates.” 

“ There is always a man at the gates,” wailed Felice. 

‘‘ A fig for the man ! ” cried Jimmy. I do not 
mind if there are three or four. All I ask of you is that 
you will be there with the princess, that you will both 
keep your heads, and that when I give the word you 
will obey it, whatever the order may be.” 

“ Monsieur,” said Felice, “ I am in the hands of the 
princess.” 

‘‘ The princess,” said Jimmy, “ I regret to say, is in 
my hands. But tell her that she need not fear — that 
before dusk to-morrow she will, at least, be out of 
Chatou. Tell her, too, that I think the quietest and 
safest place in which to await instructions from Mr. 
Strong will be here, in the Rue de Ranelagh. This is no 
time to observe conventions.” 

Felice had to some extent recovered her usual placid 
state of being when she reached the railway station, and 
all the way back to Chatou she said to herself, “ I must 
be brave for the sake of my princess.” 

She found Diana sitting alone, pale, but very quiet. 

Felice ran to her, and falling on her knees beside 


S80 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


her, poured out to her the wonderful events of the 
afternoon. 

‘‘ Monsieur Cloud,” she cried, “ he will be here to- 
morrow at half-past three at the gate. We must not 
fail him.” 

Diana glanced at the clock and gave a little sigh. So 
long had been the waiting, and so bitter, that she could 
not bear the thought of waiting even until the morrow. 

She turned to Felice again. “ Did he say no word of 
Mr. Strong? ” she asked. Felice was taken aback. 

“ Why, yes,” she said. “ He did indeed. He had a 
conversation with Mr. Strong upon the wireless.” 

“And Mr. Strong sent no message?” asked Diana, 
and her heart was sick within her. 

“ Yes, he did,” said Felice, “ but I forgot. He said, 

‘ Please believe that I am doing my best.’ ” 

“ His best.” Diana wondered to herself what that 
might mean, and her anxiety was increased by wonder- 
ing. A message such as that was unlike him. 

“ He did not say that he was coming himself? ” she 
finally asked Felice. 

“ No,” said Felice. 

“ Are you sure? ” asked Diana. 

“ Yes, my dear,” said Felice, “ I am sure.” 

She was perfectly right, because Jimmy Cloud, in his 
foolishness, had forgotten to tell Felice that Strong 
would be in Paris on the following night. 

Jimmy had no intention of running unnecessary risks 
by fast traveling, and so at about half-past twelve on the 
morrow he started out for Chatou, driving the car him- 
self and going cautiously along the broad and compara- 
tively deserted road beyond the fortifications. 

J ust as the clocks in the village were striking half-past 
three he pulled up outside the main gates of the villa. 

Leaving the chauffeur in the car Jimmy walked 
towards the gates on foot. He approached them casu- 


DIANA FLOUTS HER FATHER 


281 


ally, and with a cigarette between his lips, thinking it 
better to arouse as little comment as he could by appear- 
ing curious or uneasy. 

Peeping through the bars of the high iron gates, he 
saw Diana and Felice coming slowly towards him across 
the grass. It was then that he suddenly made up his 
mind and pulled the bell that clanged dismally in the 
little lodge on the right-hand side of the entrance. 
From the lodge there shuffled out an old m^n, who, catch- 
ing hold of the railings in his aged fingers, thrust his 
face against the bars and dismally inquired the purport 
of Jimmy’s visit. 

Jimmy cast a glance ahead and saw that Diana and 
Felice were still a little way distant, and so to gain time 
in order to allow them to approach he feigned ignorance 
of the French tongue. In English he demanded instant 
admission to see the King. 

The old man shrugged and gibbered at him from 
behind the gates, until at last, as though by some sub- 
lime effort, Jimmy Cloud said, Son Majeste.” 

At this the old man made pretense to smile, though 
he looked exceedingly doubtful, but, coming to ' the 
conclusion that Jimmy Cloud was quite a respectable 
person, he slowly and fumblingly undid the locks of the 
gate and held it on the swing. 

Diana came quietly on with Felice, and when she 
was quite close to him Cloud took a quick look about 
him. So far as he could see no one watched him from 
the roadway, nor were any guards in sight in the 
gardens. 

“ Listen,” he cried to Diana, “ I am now going to 
act. See that you follow my instructions quickly. I 
will do no harm to the old man, but the moment I have 
pushed the gate open, jump into the car; the door is 
open.” 

Without another word he swung open the gates upon 
the old man, who staggered back. In a trice he was 


282 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


inside and had hold of the old fellow by the neck. A 
second later he had bundled him into the lodge and had 
slammed the door behind him. 

Diana, quick to grasp Jimmy’s motive, was already in 
the car, and the chauffeur, who had received some curt 
orders from Cloud, had closed the door after them. 

In a flash Jimmy was back and at the steering-wheel. 
The car shot forward, and there came a shout from 
behind them. 

Turning his head for a second, Jimmy saw the Bal- 
kanian doctors racing across the grass, while just ahead 
of him, tearing down the roadway, was one of the 
watchers whom he had feared. 

But Jimmy let the car leap on. 

As it passed him the man drew a revolver and aimed 
it point-blank at Cloud. But the pace of the car was 
too swift for him to make sure of his aim, and there only 
came a crash of spKntering glass behind Jimmy’s back. 

He heard Felice utter a little cry, but a turn of his 
head sufficed to assure him that neither the princess nor 
Felice had been hurt. He drove on furiously. 

Racing back to Paris he reflected that he had been 
unwise — in these days he seemed to be fatally unwise — 
to make no further provision for escape. 

The doctors, he was certain, could not catch him, 
and it was exceedingly doubtful if his whereabouts would 
ever be discovered could he reach Paris in time; but 
there was the telephone — and he wondered whether the 
Balkanians would use the telephone. 

Utterly heedless to aught else except the imperative 
necessity for speed, he drove the car on at a terrific pace. 

Then in the distance, coming towards him, he saw 
another car — a great red car — driven with an open 
exhaust. It passed him with a rush and a rattle. But 
Jimmy,' though his work was cut out to steer clear, had 
time to note as the other car flashed by him that the 
man at the wheel was Ludwig. 


CHAPTER XXI 


THE PRINCESS IS IN DANGER 

Such, however, was the speed and the necessity of 
reaching Paris quickly that Jimmy had no time to specu- 
late as to what might mean the presence of Ludwig in 
Paris. He could only be grateful that the car he drove 
had a hooded body, and that the pace at wliich he was 
driving must inevitably have prevented even the lynx- 
eyed Ludwig from discovering the identity of the pas- 
sengers he carried. 

Ludwig, indeed, passed the other car all unsuspect- 
ing. It was not till he reached the villa a few moments 
later that he learned Diana had escaped. His rage 
then knew no bounds. Confident that the two doctors 
were implicitly to be trusted, the King had remained 
in Paris, but Ludwig, for some reason, had felt uneasy, 
and had decided to journey on to Chatou at once. He 
cursed the doctors like a madman, and dealt the guard 
who had betrayed his watch a blow which sent him 
reeling against the garden wall. 

Then, for once, Ludwig’s brain worked quickly, and, 
checking his first impulse, which was to turn the car 
about and pursue the fugitive Diana, he raced across the 
lawn for the villa, knowing that, even though he drove 
quickly, a message by telephone would travel faster 
still. Those in charge of the exchange knew well 
enough who were the occupants of the villa, and without 
a demur — indeed, with all the speed they could contrive 
i — they connected Ludwig with the Prefecture in Paris. 

At first the authorities there were a little incredulous 
at his tale, but Ludwig spoke with such authority, urg- 
283 


284 } 


HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


ing them, moreover, to ring up the Grand Hotel, and 
take counsel with the King, that the Prefecture set to 
work, and M. le Prefect himself assumed control of 
things. 

This, of course, Jimmy was not to know, but he 
guessed what would probably happen as he kept his 
own car on top speed and rushed at a perfectly appall- 
ing pace towards the fortifications. But swift as he 
had been, he had not been swift enough. 

A very cleverly engineered barrier of traffic necessi- 
tated his slackening his pace. Indeed, so complicated 
was the jam of traffic by the Port de Neuilly that he 
was compelled to bring the car to a staUv! till. 

As he did so, a very polite little old gentleman, wear- 
ing a sleek top-hat and a well-fitting frock-coat, ap- 
proached him with a dandified air. 

The old gentleman lifted his hat politely. “ I see,” 
he said, ‘‘ that monsieur carries most distinguished 
passengers.” 

Jimmy gathered his courage and his senses together, 
and, though the old man’s words had struck him like a 
blow, managed to say in a fairly polite and even voice: 
‘‘ I was not aware of the fact.” 

“ If that is so,” said the little old gentleman, “ I 
fear I must make an introduction. May I ask you to 
alight ? ” 

“ You will forgive me,” said Jimmy, but I have to 
proceed.” 

“ Ah, pardon me,” said the little old gentleman, laying 
a delicately gloved hand upon the car, ‘‘ but that I can- 
not permit.” 

Jimmy had his hand on the wheel to send the car on 
again, but at a signal from the polite old gentleman two 
men in civilian dress leaped on to the car and held Jimmy 
like a vise. 

“ I think,” said the polite old gentleman, “ that you 
will find it better to surrender at discretion.” 


THE PRINCESS IS IN DANGER 285 


“ Very well,” said Jimmy, easily, “ I will. I pre- 
sume you are M. le Prefect.” 

“ I am,” said the Prefect, urbanely, ‘‘ and though I 
have never had the pleasure of meeting her before, I 
must now pay my respects to the Princess Diana of 
Balkania.” 

“ Will you permit me to ask,” said Jimmy, with a 
calmness bom of complete despair, “ how you dis- 
covered the identity of the princess ? ” He saw that 
further denial of the princess’ acquaintance was im- 
possible. 

“ Certainly,” said the Prefect, I have not the 
slightest objection to telling you. It was by ’phone.” 

“ Look here,” cried Jimmy, quickly, ‘‘ may I make a 
suggestion I am sure that you do not wish to trouble 
a lady, and I give you my word that I will follow what- 
soever instructions you are pleased to give, provided you 
can prevent a scene. What can I do ? ” 

Well, now,” said the little old gentleman, smiling 
blandly, “ there you place me in a slight difficulty, for I 
am merely waiting orders, the orders of His Majesty of 
Balkania.” 

‘‘ Or the orders of th.e Prince Ludwig ” suggested 
Jimmy. 

‘‘ Precisely,” said the Prefect, and he made another 
little bow. 

“And then.?” said Jimmy. 

“ Well, then,” said the Prefect, “ I think the best, 
thing you can do is to drive me slowly, together, of 
course, with two of my attendants, back along the road 
to Chatou.” 

“ Very well,” said Jimmy, “ I will do it.” 

The Prefect climbed on to the front seat of the car, 
ordering Jimmy’s servant to stand down. Jimmy 
nodded to his servant, a:nd the man, getting out of the 
car, stood forlornly in the roadway. 

“ You will understand,” said the Prefect, “ that my 


286 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


only reason for driving back towards Chatou is to escape 
the crowd.” 

“ I understand perfectly,” said Jimmy. 

They had, however, gone but a very short distance 
when, far ahead of them on the road, they observed a 
second motor approaching them at a great pace. ' 

‘‘ We will stop, I think,” said the Prefect, “ for I 
imagine that this is the car that I expect.” 

The second car came on, and drew to a- standstill 
with a squealing grind of its brakes. Ludwig stepped 
down and approached the Prefect. “ I congratulate 
you,” he said. 

A very simple business,” said the Prefect. Lud- 
wig drew the little old gentleman on one side, and 
Jimmy for once seized an opportunity. 

He leaned into the car and spoke rapidly to Diana, 
who sat with a face as pale as ashes. This, princess,” 
he said, “ is merely a check. If you follow my advice, 
you will return quietly to Chatou. It is now merely a 
question of hours, for Mr. Strong is on his way to 
Paris.” 

A little color crept into Diana’s face. “ Is that 
true.? ” she asked, “ or are you merely seeking to re- 
assure me ? ” 

“ I give you my word,” said Jimmy, “ that it is true. 
In the meantime,” he went on, “ if I am allowed to do 
so, I will get into communication with Mr. Strong and 
bid him make all speed.” 

‘‘ I do not think,” said Diana, a little proudly, “ that 
it will be necessary for you to do that.” 

It was then that the Prefect observed Jimmy and 
the princess in conversation, and, whipping round, he 
intervened with his inevitable urbanity. 

“ I am sorry to part you from monsieur your friend,” 
he said, ‘‘ but it is, I regret to say. Your Royal High- 
ness, absolutely necessary.” 

“ And what of me? ” asked Jimmy. 


THE PRINCESS IS IN DANGER ^87 


‘‘ Of you, monsieur, I think small attention need be 
paid. You can return to your home or your hotel, 
wherever your abode may be; but you will, of course, 
understand that two of my officers must accompany 
you.” 

“ Very well,” said Jimmy, cheerfully, “ if you insist, 
of course it must be so.” 

Other policemen in plain clothes had now come up, 
and two of these the Prefect deputed to accompany 
Jimmy home. Jimmy, having kissed the princess’ hand, 
climbed back into his own car. 

Arrived in the Rue de Ranelagh, Jimmy decided to 
accept defeat as gracefully as possible. 

“ Since I have been placed at your disposal, gentle- 
men,” he said to the police officers, “ or you at mine, I 
imagine the best course is to offer you every hospital- 
ity.” The detectives smiled and followed Jimmy into 
his untidy study, and gazed about them with consider- 
able wonder at the mixed litter of dumb-bells and books. 

“ Now,” said Jimmy, “ I am far from comfortable. 
I dislike wearing collars, so if you gentlemen will excuse 
me for a few minutes I will run upstairs and change my 
clothes.” 

“ It is unfortunate, monsieur,” said one of the officers, 
‘‘ but it is impossible for us to let you leave our sight.” 

‘‘ Why ? ” laughed Jimmy. ‘‘ Do you suppose I am 
about to commit suicide in a dramatic fashion or even 
inconvenience myself by escaping ” 

The senior of the officers shrugged his shoulders. 
‘‘ Such things are always possible,” he said. 

“ Gentlemen,” cried Jimmy, with a smile, ‘‘ I give 
you my word of honor that I will neither attempt to 
escape nor attempt to take my life. Will that satisfy 
you? You see, I am British, and am, therefore, some- 
what diffident about performing my toilet in public.” 
So entirely happy was Jimmy’s countenance that the 
officers smiled and bowed acquiescence to his wishes. 


S88 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


Rounding upstairs, Jimmy immediately got to work 
on the wireless, and after four or five minutes’ effort 
succeeded in picking up Strong. As rapidly as could 
he told Strong what had happened, and the silence that 
followed his explanation was ominous. 

Then came the message : “ I calculate that I shall 
be over Paris at nine o’clock to-night, which means that 
I shall succeed in rescuing Diana before ten o’clock at 
the latest. I shall return with her to Romberg im- 
mediately. You have been so lax in this matter that 
a little energy will not harm you now, therefore I shall 
not attempt to offer you any assistance.” 

Jimmy was rather nettled at this, and rapped back: 

Thanks, I will take care of myself. I may have been 
negligent, but I have done my best to make amends. 
At least, I have done what I could for the princess 
to-day.” 

Rut to this there was no reply, and Jimmy knew 
full well that Strong’s wrath was great. 

The drive back to Chatou was like a nightmare to 
Diana. She sat with clenched hands praying that her 
deliverance might be soon. 

Ludwig drove on in stolid and gloomy haste. There 
was a frightened group of men by the gates when they 
regained the villa, but without noticing the men at all, 
Ludwig turned into the garden and made up the long 
avenue to the hall door. There he leaped quickly to the 
ground and assisted Diana to alight, and she was so 
much in a dream that she scarcely noticed his assistance. 

When she gained the hall she became conscious of 
his hand upon her arm, and she drew back sharply and 
roused herself sufficiently to challenge him. 

“ I do not know by what right you have brought 
me back here,” she cried. 

“ The right of might,” said Ludwig, grimly. 

‘‘ There is a might greater than yours. Prince Lud- 


THE PRINCESS IS IN DANGER 289 


wig,” said Diana, “ and if I am not mistaken you will 
experience the force of it before long.” 

Ludwig shivered a little, for he was fearful. 

Diana went straight to her rooms and declined to 
leave them even for dinner, which Ludwig ate alone. 
He drank far more than was good for him, and as he 
rose somewhat unsteadily from the table shortly after 
nine he was full of a false courage. He had been brood- 
ing over Diana’s offhand manner of treating him ; and, 
realizing in a half-drunken, but none the less poignant 
way, that the end of his hopes and ambitions was rapidly 
approaching, he resolved on one last desperate cast of 
his fortune’s dice. 

Blundering up the stairs he rapped sharply on the 
door of Diana’s drawing-room. It was opened by 
Felice, and, without so much as asking permission, Lud- 
wig brushed the old nurse to one side and strode into the 
room. 

Diana, who was sitting in a melancholy attitude over 
the fire, started at his entrance and turned to him with 
blazing eyes. How dare you,” she cried, “ insult me 
by this intrusion.^ ” 

Ludsvig realized that he had gone too far, and his 
fear as to what the consequences might be, steadied him 
immediately. 

“ I must ask your pardon,” he said, ‘‘ but I have 
received an urgent message from the King.” 

It was a lie, and Diana did not for a moment believe 
that he spoke the truth. “ Oh ! ” she said ; and there 
was a world of unkind wonderment in her voice. 

‘‘ Yes,” said Ludwig, slowly and a trifle thickly ; “ I 
have received a message from the King — a message 
which, unfortunately, I must deliver to you in private.” 

“ I decline to allow Felice to leave the room,” said 
Diana. 

Ludwig laughed coarsely and rudely. ‘‘ Is Your 
Royal Highness afraid.^ ” he sneered. 


^90 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


‘‘ No,” said Diana, coldly, but with a dangerous ring 
in her voice ; ‘‘ Her Royal Highness is not afraid. 
Felice, do me the kindness of leaving me for a few 
moments with this — this gentleman.” 

Ludwig winced and watched the departure of the old 
nurse. Felice was most unwilling to leave the princess. 
At the door she hesitated, but Diana waved her away. 

When the door closed Diana turned to Ludwig. 

And now,” she said, “ perhaps you will be kind enough 
to deliver me that message.” 

“ First,” said Ludwig, “ let me ask you to be seated.” 

Diana sat herself down in her former seat by the 
fire. Ludwig came over and stood beside her. 

“ It is,” he said, ‘‘ the old, old message. His Majesty 
bids me once again pay my addresses to you without 
delay, and to urge upon you the necessity of our imme- 
diate marriage. It is the only way, he says, in which to 
counteract the successes of the man Strong.” 

“ I fancy,” said Diana, very coldly, “ that you will 
find it very hard to counteract those successes. Person- 
ally, I do not mean to be a party to such an attempt. 
I am neither for you nor even for my father. I stand 
wholly and solely for Mr. Strong. He has won, and 
were I married to you a thousand times over it could not 
affect the issue. I know,” she went on just as quietly, 

when I meet a coward and when I meet a man — and 
Mr. Strong is a man.” 

This stung Ludwig into anger. For a moment it 
seemed as though he would blaze out into a passion of 
words. But he restrained himself. 

Again Diana taunted him. ‘‘ Within an hour,” she 
said, with mockery in her voice, “ these silly little efforts 
of yours will be of no effect. I am expecting Mr. 
Strong to-night.” 

There is still an hour,” said Ludwig, and there was 
an evil light in his eyes. 

He swayed for a moment to and fro from his heels 


THE PRINCESS IS IN DANGER ^91 


to his toes and back again, as though irresolute. Then 
he plunged forward and threw himself on his knees 
beside Diana’s chair. 

“ Listen,” he cried, and his voice shook. It is 
impossible for us to continue any longer as we have been 
going on. You know I love you — you know I have 
always loved you. It is disgraceful that a man of 
Strong’s description should be allowed to come between 
us. I care nothing for what he has done. I care 
nothing for his threats of what he may do. I care only 
for you, and for you alone.” 

Diana leaped from her seat and would have spoken, 
but Ludwig, who had now lost all control of himself, 
tried to catch her in his arms. Diana’s anger blazed 
up, and she struck him full and fair in the mouth. He 
reeled back, but recovered himself quickly. And then 
the end came. 

There was a noise of a terrific explosion, and, though 
the room was brilliantly lighted, there came a flash 
which half-blinded them. The house trembled, and 
Ludwig and Diana, each of them shaken out of the 
passions which had gripped them a moment before, 
stood looking with mute inquiry into each other’s 
eyes. 

It was Diana who recovered herself first, and with a 
glad cry rushed to the window. She tore it open and 
ran out on to the balcony. Ludwig, upon whom drunk- 
enness seemed suddenly to have descended, staggered 
after her. 

The garden was flooded with light, as though it were 
day. Just overhead hovered the “ Victor,” while the 
‘‘ Di ” stood at rest on the lawn beneath the window. 
Craning over the balcony, Diana saw Strong, Belling- 
ham and Arbuthnot rushing for the door. Ludwig saw 
them, too, and pulled a revolver from his pocket. 

Curse him ! ” yelled Ludwig ; ‘‘ but he shall never 
have you.” 


292 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


There o-^me the sounds of shouts and the report of 
firearms below, and the noise of pounding feet. 

Ludwig turned unsteadily and leveled the revolver 
at Diana. But old Felice, who had heard the sound of 
the explosion, came running back into the drawing- 
room, and, so out on the balcony, and with a swing of 
her arm sent the revolver spinning from Ludwig’s hand. 

Ludwig almost hurled himself upon the old woman, 
who screamed as she felt the grip of his hands upon her 
neck. 

Diana, quick to action, picked the revolver up and 
turned it upon Ludwig. “ Hands up, you coward ! 
she cried. ‘‘ Hands up or I will fire ! ” 

Ludwig, stricken utterly with terror, held up his 
hands. The door of the drawing-room opened with a 
crash, and Strong came rushing in. He looked round 
him, saw the little group on the balcony, and was beside 
Diana in an instant. Diana let the revolver drop, and 
fell against Strong. He, for his part, did not hesitate 
a moment. He lifted her into the hollow of his left arm 
and then walked over to the foolishly staring Ludwig. 

“ If it is necessary,” he said to the prince, “ I will 
deal with you later. For the present, it is hardly worth 
while wasting one’s energies upon such a creature as 
yourself. However, I will leave you a little present 
which will keep you quiet for an hour or so.” And 
while he still held Diana in his left arm he dealt Ludwig 
two swift, open-handed blows across the face. Ludwig 
fell in a heap against the parapet of the balcony, and, 
striking his head heavily, lay still. Arbuthnot had now 
come on to the balcony, and stood looking quietly on. 

Felice was half-hysterical, and Strong said to Arbuth- 
not : “ Look after the nurse. I have Diana to see to.” 
He marched towards the door, and Arbuthnot followed 
him, half-carrying the old woman. 

When they reached the landing Strong said sharply 
across his shoulder: “ Is it all well below ” 


THE PRINCESS IS IN DANGER 293 


“ Yes, for us,” said Arbuthnot, quickly ; ‘‘ but it has 
been rather bad for the other fellows.” 

“ You mean? ” said Strong. 

“ I mean,” said Arbuthnot, ‘‘ that it had to be done. 
See that the princess does not look about her as we pass 
out.” 

Strong took Diana’s head very gently in his right 
hand and pressed her face into his shoulder as he ran 
quickly down the stairs and made across the hall. 
There were four men spread out on the parquet work, 
and all of them lay very still. 

Strong then passed out into the flood of light, and, 
running across the lawn, placed the prirccss in the 
“ Di.” Arbuthnot helped the old nurse into the little 
airship. 

Bellingham came out from the house smoking a 
cigarette. 

Yes,” he said, in answer to Strong’s unspoken query, 
‘‘ the work has been complete.” 

Strong made a little grimace, for it never pleased 
him to see men’s lives taken. 

“ After all,” said Bellingham, by way of consolation, 
“ it had to be done.” 

The house which they had left was hushed. Dead 
men tell no tales — neither do they see. And most of 
the King’s men were dead. 

Strong, therefore, put the “ Di ” up at once, and 
without so much as a word to Diana or to Felice, trans- 
ferred them to the ‘‘ Victor.” He took Arbuthnot with 
him, leaving Bellingham to navigate the ‘‘ Di.” He 
settled Diana comfortably in the stern, and then gave 
the order for Bomberg. But Diana, rousing herself 
from the stupor into which she had fallen, murmured 
the words : “ Miss Hunt ! ” 

Strong’s heart and conscience smote him, for, truth 
to tell, in the hurry of the descent on the villa and in his 
anger against Cloud for his carelessness and neglect, he 


^94 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


had forgotten the girl who had served his cause so faith- 
fully and so well. 

He was very undecided for a moment, although he 
saw that it was imperative that Miss Hunt should be 
removed beyond the possibility of harm. 

In his perplexity he turned an inquiring face to 
Diana, who quickly said : ‘‘ Don’t you think you would 
find her at Jimmy Cloud’s? ” 

Strong made a grimace of disgust. Jimmy had done 
well at the outset, but had fallen short of his estimation 
of him since, and it did not please him to be compelled 
to render any succor to the house in the Rue de 
Ranelagh. 

The suggestion, however, was a sound one, and so, 
signaling to the ‘‘ Di,” he put about and made quickly 
from Chatou for Paris. 

Strong did not spare either of the airships, and in a 
few minutes they crossed the fortifications, rushed over 
the Bois de Boulogne, and hung above the quiet little 
street in Passy, in which he hoped to find Miss Hunt. 

So quick had their passage been that he calculated 
that Ludwig would not have sufficiently recovered his 
senses to telephone to the Prefecture of Police, and as 
the night was dark — so dark that the passage of the 
airships could not possibly have been observed, he 
counted on the probability that his return to Paris would 
be unknown. 

He was loth to leave the ‘‘ Victor ” himself, not be- 
cause he was averse to rendering all the assistance he 
could possibly give to Miss Hunt, but because he did not 
wish to behold Jimmy until his anger had cooled. 

He signaled across to Bellingham and the Balkanian 
officer in the Di ” that they must descend and search 
for Miss Hunt. 

Bellingham knew Jimmy’s abode, and put the “ Di ” 
quickly down into the quiet little street. He prayed 
that no police might be about, and his prayer was 


THE PRINCESS IS IN DANGER 295 


answered. The Rue de Ranelagh was utterly deserted. 

In response to his pull at the bell the door was opened 
by one of the detectives who had Jimmy under surveil- 
lance. 

Bellingham guessed the man’s identity, but paid no 
heed to him ; he brushed past him, walked quickly down 
the passage, and, without pausing to knock at the door, 
hurried into Jimmy’s study. 

There he found that dilatory young man kneeling 
beside an armchair in which was seated a very tired and 
over-wrought — Miss Hunt. 

The girl sprang up with a cry as she beheld Belling- 
ham, and ran towards him with outstretched hands. 
Bellingham clasped them, then, turning to Cloud, he 
said quickly : ‘‘ We have come for Miss Hunt. Do you 
propose to accompany us to Bomberg? ” 

For a moment Jimmy hesitated, then smiled a little 
bitterly. “ If I am wanted,” he said. 

There is still work for you to do,” said Bellingham. 

I will come,” said Cloud. “ The only difficulty is 
to give these fellows the slip. There are two of them, 
and one, as you see, declines even to allow me out of his 
sight for a moment.” 

From the man’s puzzled expression Jimmy realized 
that he did not understand English ; he said to Belling- 
ham : Go out and settle the man at the door. I think 
I can manage this person.” 

Then, so swiftly that the police-officer had no time 
for retaliatory measures, Jimmy drew a revolver from 
his pocket and covered him. 

“ Monsieur,” he said in excellent French, “ you will 
have the kindness to remain here while I withdraw with 
the young lady.” 

The man was too utterly taken aback to do anything 
but gape, and Jimmy, keeping him covered with the 
revolver, drew Miss Hunt from the room, and, passing 
down the passage, found Bellingham in somewhat angry 


£96 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


altercation with the detective at the door. The police- 
officer in the study was so completely dumbfounded that 
he made no attempt to follow, and Jimmy transferred 
the attentions of his six-shooter from the first man to 
the second. 

No word was spoken as Bellingham, Miss Hunt, and 
Jimmy ran across the roadway and climbed as quickly 
as they could into the “ Di.” 

Strong, who sat with straining eyes watching the little 
house, nodded approval, and immediately gave the order 
for the return to Bomberg. He put both the airships 
up an elevation of five thousand feet, and hour after 
hour they rushed on through the darkness. 

It was a pitilessly wet night, and they pierced cloud- 
bank after cloudbank. Such was the speed of the “ Vic- 
tor ” that the Di ” was left hopelessly beliind ; but, as 
Strong’s need for quick traveling was great, he paid no 
heed to that. Hour after hour he sat without saying 
a word, while Diana, utterly exhausted with the weeks 
of struggle and waiting, rested, with as little self-con- 
sciousness as a child, against his shoulder, sleeping a 
better and more peaceful sleep than she had known for 
months. When the sun came up she roused herself and 
moved a little away. Strong possessed himself of one 
of her hands, and she did not make any attempt to rid 
him of it. 

A thousand thoughts were beating in Strong’s brain. 
For the most part he was thinking of the struggle — the 
last great fight for the Dictatorship of the world — that 
would come on the morrow. But interspersed with his 
general idea was the continuous thought of thankfulness 
for the recovery of Diana. He knew what it must have 
cost her to sacrifice her pride. 

By ten o’clock it was fine, and Bomberg lay placid 
and pleasant in the sunshine as they came over the city. 
The three other airships were slowly sailing round the 
borders of the town. Strong made directly for the fore- 


THE PRINCESS IS IN DANGER 297 


court of the palace, and, putting down the ‘‘ Victor ” 
there, helped Diana to alight. 

The princess went straight to her old rooms, and 
Strong went to his work. There was much to be done, 
for he learned bj wireless that the Kaiser’s airships 
were expected on the following day. 

Strong made every preparation that he possibly could 
for the safety of the town. All the available reserves 
were mobilized, and while half were sent to j oin the army 
on the northern frontier, the other half were utilized for 
police purposes. By this time Strong had not the 
slightest fear of any revolt breaking out. The hold 
which he had upon the people was now too great for 
that ; but he looked for joyful turmoil and excitement. 

Though Bellingham, Arbuthnot and his other im- 
mediate friends were aware of his purpose in meeting 
the Kaiser on as equal a footing as he could, Strong was 
careful not to let his decision become public. He knew 
that doubt would be roused in the people’s mind if he 
were to announce the fact that he proposed to surrender 
some of his advantages. He had every confidence in 
the Kaiser’s good faith, and still more confidence in the 
Kaiser’s good sense. It seemed to him idle to suppose 
that, should His Imperial Majesty’s airships meet with 
disaster, the Emperor would pile defeat upon defeat by 
seeking to retrieve misfortunes in the air by a debacle 
on land. 

To Strong, indeed, the complete overthrow of the 
Kaiser was already as good as an accomplished fact and 
therefore the way lay clear for him to complete his plans 
for the total subjugation of the world. When he had 
enforced on Europe the general regime of peace and 
reform which he was slowly evolving, it would be time 
to see that America fell into line with the rest of the 
civilized world. 

By three o’clock in the afternoon Strong had com- 
pleted all his arrangements, and towards four o’clock 


^98 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


M. Stalvan, General Martel and Arbuthnot gathered in 
his room for a brief consultation before each man went 
to his post. 

Even at that busy time Strong did not forget his 
debt of gratitude to the editor of the Daily Wireless, 
and, sending for Miss Hunt, he gave her the outline of 
his campaign, with full permission to use it as she chose. 

He knew that it could not be cabled back to Germany 
until too late to serve any useful purpose there. Long 
before Strong’s final announcement on the affairs of the 
world could reach the Kaiser, the Kaiser would be at 
grips with him above Romberg. 

There was a certain uneasiness about the town, for 
rumors had got abroad as to the approach of the Ger- 
mans. To allay, as far as possible, all public anxiety. 
Strong towards nightfall issued a proclamation calling 
on the people to put their trust in him and to remain 
tranquil during the coming conflict. 

The proclamation explained that the engagement 
would be short, sharp, and decisive, and that at the 
close of the coming battle Balkania would, under his 
dictatorship, be at the head of the affairs of the world. 

Strong even thought it as well to take the people into 
his confidence to the extent of telling them that the 
battle could well be watched from the Morning Hills. 
This he did with the desire to drain the city of its popu- 
lation as much as he could in the morning, for the reason 
that the fewer people there were in Romberg the easier 
he would be able to deal with them from a disciplinary 
point of view. 

As dark set in he sent to the princess’ rooms, asking 
her permission for a few minutes’ interview, and directly 
afterwards the messenger returned saying that Diana 
would be glad to receive him. 

Diana, being utterly worn out, had spent nearly the 
whole of the day in slumber ; now she looked rosy and 
refreshed. 


THE PRINCESS IS IN DANGER 299 


As she came to meet him, Strong felt a little em- 
barrassed. There was much that it was necessary to 
say and a good deal that required some delicacy of ex- 
pression. He took her hand, led her to a sofa, and 
seated himself beside her. 

“ You must not think, dearest,” he said, ‘‘ that if I 
am compelled to mention certain matters I do so with a 
desire to be unkind — much less do I desire to triumph 
over you. Unless I were forced to do so, I should not 
recall your defiance of me or the fact that you declared 
that you could not possibly return to Balkania until you 
returned as queen. I know that it sounds rather like 
splitting hairs, but, at the same time, I really think the 
best way out of the difficulty is for you to regard me 
more as your servant than as the man who has stolen 
your kingdom from you. To-morrow I meet the Kaiser 
face to face, and I trust that before nightfall we shall 
have settled the whole of this bad business; and then, 
strong, because of the knowledge of our strength, we 
shall be able to set to work upon righting the many 
wrongs and lessening the many evils with which this 
poor old world is troubled. 

“ In that work,” Strong continued earnestly, ‘‘ it 
will be no exaggeration to say that I shall ever be your 
servant. I am looking to you very largely for direction, 
so that, after all, you see, you will be the real ruler.” 

Diana turned upon him a face that was both proud 
and glad. I will help you,” she said, quite simply. 

‘‘ As soon as the fight is all over,” said Strong, “ I 
must be crowned; and if it is still your wish, it is my 
darling desire that we should be married on the same 
day, and that you should be proclaimed my consort.” 

Diana made him a mock bow, and smiled the first 
gay smile for many weeks. 

“ I am quite agreed. Your Majesty,” she cried. 

“ It is rather hard,” said Strong, that I should 
have to leave you so soon after finding you again, but 


SOO HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


unfortunately I must. I must be with the airships in 
less than half an hour.” 

He rose from his seat. Diana rose too, and looked 
into his face long and wistfully. 

“ Suppose,” she said, “ that you should not return? ” 

Strong laughed aloud. 

Dearest,” he cried, ‘‘ there is not the slightest fear 
of that. My only anxiety at the present moment is to 
make it a sufficiently fair fight to escape being called a 
bully by the world. Of course, it is difficult in an affair 
of this sort to gauge altogether accurately what will 
happen, but my own impression is — and it is an im- 
pression which is shared by Langley and Arbuthnot — 
that the battle will be over in less than a quarter of an 
hour.” 

Diana drew a little nearer, and placed a hand upon 
his arm. “ Is it not possible even now,” she asked, “ to 
avoid a battle? ” 

“ No,” said Strong, it is not. Even if I could come 
to terms with the Kaiser without fighting, it would be 
most inadvisable to do so. The fact of shattering the 
greatest military power on earth will give me prestige 
and authority which I could not otherwise hope to gain.” 

Strong paused, and then caught Diana to his arms. 
He held her close against his breast, and kissed her 
tenderly on eyes and mouth. Then, without another 
word, he hurried from the room. 


CHAPTER XXII 


ARMAGEDDON UMITED 

The city was full of life. People thronged the long 
main thoroughfare from the palace, every window of 
which was illuminated, down to the buildings of the 
different Ministries on the grand square. So great, 
indeed, had been the effect of the proclamation which 
Strong had issued in the afternoon, that the populace of 
Romberg was celebrating beforehand the great victory 
which they felt confident would soon be theirs. 

It was an extraordinary change to have been brought 
about in so short a space of time. In a few weeks 
Strong had lifted Balkania up from being one of 
Europe’s petty states to the pinnacle of the world’s 
power. And with this great change in the state had 
come a complete alteratio-n of the people’s character. 
No longer hedged about by little petty quarrels, no 
longer living in fear of Russia on the one hand and 
Germany on the other, relieved from the tangle of intri- 
cate European politics in which they had dwelt so long, 
the citizens of Romberg had won to a larger point of 
view. They dreamed of World-Empire such as a nation 
had never dreamed of before. 

Rut while Strong fostered this notion of world 
dominion for policy’s sake, he had not the slightest in- 
tention of pursuing the wild and exaggerated dreams of 
conquest which the more enthusiastic clamored for. 

He had calculated the matter almost to a nicety, and 
saw that he was far more likely to achieve great results, 

when at last he had the great world-nations at his feet, 
301 


S02 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


if, instead of abusing his tremendous powers, he were to 
guide the countries gently into the path which he would 
have them follow. 

After all, he only made war to achieve peace. He 
meant to march steadfastly on from Armageddon to the 
Millennium. It was with this great thought in mind, 
and the cherished hope that in his work for the world’s 
welfare he would, while life lasted, have Diana beside 
him both to guide him and inspire him, that he put the 
airships up for the final struggle. 

As the “Victor” rose slowly and majestically he 
looked across the city to where the lights of the palace 
shone in the distance, and on the balcony he beheld 
through his glasses a solitary and wistful figure pressing 
against the parapet. 

It was Diana. 

“ How many times,” thought Strong, “ have I seen 
Diana there and in what different circumstances.” 

Strong had now to map out for the commanders of 
the different airships the stations which they should 
keep during the night, and the tactics which they should 
follow in the morning. Unfortunately, owing to lack of 
scouts. Strong was unable to move far from Romberg, 
for he knew that he would be dealing with the most 
masterly tacticians of the Kaiser’s army, and, even if it 
delayed him in coming to grips with the enemy, he saw 
that it was very doubtful if the Kaiser would descend 
directly on Romberg from Rerlin. 

Strong therefore ordered all lights to be put out and 
the airships to keep station at an elevation of ten thou- 
sand feet directly over the city. 

The “ Di ” he detached, ordering her to sail at top 
speed in a circle round the city at a distance of fifty 
miles. In this way he hoped he might by chance detect 
the approach of the Kaiser’s airships, though he realized 
that the odds were against him in this respect. 

At six o’clock the dawn was only beginning to show. 


ARMAGEDDON LIMITED 


303 


and Strong estimated that, even if all had gone well, 
the German air fleet could not make Bomherg before 
another hour; and that did not provide for any detour 
which the Kaiser might make in order to plan a surprise. 
On the other hand, he knew that the Kaiser would rather 
hasten than delay, in order, if possible, to come upon 
Strong before it was fully light. 

But to the last Strong’s luck held good, for towards 
seven o’clock he received a message from the ‘‘ Di,” 
which was then to the westward, that Churston had 
observed four aeroplanes approaching at a great speed. 

Strong ordered Churston to continue cruising in his 
circle until he had fetched up behind the larger airships. 
Then the Dictator commanded the ‘‘ Victor ” and her 
sister airships to move rapidly towards the oncoming 
aeroplanes. 

Within ten minutes Strong could see the enemy ap- 
proaching, and then what happened came about so 
swiftly that Strong, in after days, was hard put to it to 
remember all the details of the fight. He had felt pretty 
certain when the Kaiser had acquiesced at Potsdam to 
the arrangement which practically amounted to settling 
the affairs of the world by single combat, that His 
Majesty must place great reliance on the capacities of 
the airships with which he proposed to dispute Strong’s 
dictatorship. 

But though he had foreseen this. Strong was for a 
second utterly taken aback by the forces which were 
suddenly arrayed against him. In the twinkling of an 
eye he realized that the aeroplanes were sailing as fast 
as, if not faster than, his own air craft. They came on 
with a curious rising and dipping and rising motion, 
suggestive of the flight of a swallow. 

Strong signaled another thousand feet, and the “ Vic- 
tor,” “ The State,” the “ Balkania,” and the “ Princess ” 
rose like rockets. And so great was the pace of the on- 
coming aeroplanes that they shot past beneath them. 


304 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


There had been no time to steer so that the airships 
could be maneuvered above the aeroplanes, and they 
passed each other liarmlessly by without so much as an 
exchange of shot. 

As the aeroplanes rushed past beneath him Strong 
ordered his own airships to stop dead. Through the 
glasses he took a rapid survey of the foe. 

The aeroplanes were of a description which he had 
never expected to see. Each of them had three sets of 
wings, fashioned like the wings of a swift, which appar- 
ently worked easily backwards and forwards, and up 
and down from pivots placed in the body. 

The bodies were of immense length — Strong guessed 
about three hundred feet — while the wings, from tip to 
tip, must have been five hundred feet across. 

Strong watched their flight keenly, to ascertain the 
best means of meeting them, and he saw at once that 
his own forces were at any rate superior in mobility. 

For though the Kaiser’s aeroplanes were steady and 
turned about, they turned cumbrously and heavily, 
whereas Strong could turn his airships in their own 
length. 

But what followed the turning of the aeroplanes was 
so sudden and so astonishing that Strong was for the 
moment disarmed. The aeroplanes began to climb 
swiftly into the sky until they had reached some fifteen 
thousand feet. 

Strong decided not to put up his own airships until 
he had been able to grasp the motive of the extraordi- 
nary elevation of the enemy, for he recognized that to 
have put his own airships up would be to challenge the 
Germans to a trial of endurance. It would simply have 
been a question of whether he or the Kaiser could reach 
the greater elevation. 

Perplexed, and momentarily anxious. Strong watched 
and waited for the cessation of the aeroplanes’ ascent. 
The enemy’s aeroplanes were about five miles distant, 


ARMAGEDDON LIMITED 


305 


and appeared as dots in the sky. Then they were 
quickly tilted to an obtuse angle to the earth, and 
descended towards Strong, who was then at an elevation 
of about ten thousand feet. 

They came hurtling down through space like boats 
on a water-chute, only at a velocity which made Strong 
hold his own breath to think in wonderment that mortal 
man could dive at such a speed through space. 

There was little time, however, for astonishment ; for 
scarcely before he understood their intention the aero- 
planes were upon him. 

Strong ordered the airships to dive in the opposite 
direction from the oncoming aeroplanes. And just in 
the nick of time the “ Victor ” and her sister airships 
swept beneath the hurtling aeroplanes. 

Looking astern. Strong saw the angle of the aero- 
planes altered, and watched them come hurtling up into 
the sky again until once more they were at a distance of 
about five miles, looking like so many flies on a ceiling. 

Then he realized that unless he took some quick and 
decided action, this game of dip and rise might con- 
tinue for many hours without a blow being exchanged. 
He was astonished at the Kaiser’s methods, and the 
only conclusion forced upon him was that His Majesty 
had deliberately chosen the course of battering down 
the airships by sheer force in lieu of mere distant gun- 
fire fighting. 

There was so little time for signaling that Strong 
put alongside “ The State ” and shouted to Langley 
through the megaphone to know what he made of it. 

Langley shouted back that he judged the Kaiser’s 
idea was to sink the airships at all costs, knowing that 
such was the construction of his own aeroplanes that, 
even if hard hit, no greater disaster could overcome 
them than to fall gently to the ground. 

At this Strong suddenly saw the way. He saw that 
the aeroplanes were limited in their flight by the fact 


306 HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


that they could merely rise to a height corresponding to 
the elevation from which they had dipped. Of tliis, 
therefore, he decided to take full advantage. 

Through his glasses he observed them preparing to 
dip once more, and realized that while he could not beat 
them in speed as they were dipping, he could beat them 
in speed as they were rising, and so he signaled instruc- 
tions that his airships were to clear the dip of the aero- 
planes and then to follow them in their rise. They 
were to follow and beat the aeroplanes in elevation, and, 
while the winged machines hovered again for the dip, 
smash them while they could. 

Strong knew that this would mean quick work, and 
work demanding enormous coolness ; but he relied on his 
men. 

The aeroplanes came hurtling down again, and just 
in time the four airships rose above them, turned easily, 
and pursued the aeroplanes on their upward flight. 
They were so hard upon them that they could see 
the men working beneath them. So close indeed were 
they upon them that Strong and his companions stood 
in peril of being hit by the riflemen of the aeroplanes 
below. But marksmanship at such a speed could be 
of small effect. As they rushed up through the air 
Strong saw that he gained upon the enemy. Up and up 
they went till breathing became difficult and blood began 
to trickle from more than one man’s nose and ears. The 
end was close at hand. 

The aeroplanes beneath the airships shook and 
quivered as they reached the climax of their ascent. 
The airships were sailing easily above them. 

Strong signaled Shells.” Each airship made for 
its corresponding aeroplane, and the rain of shells was 
short and sharp. By a coincidence Strong found him- 
self above the aeroplane in which was the Emperor him- 
self. He had signaled that the shots were to be dropped 
upon the wings of the aeroplanes and not into the 


ARMAGEDDON LIMITED 


SOT 


bodies, seeing that if the wings were shattered the aero- 
planes could not possibly remain afloat. 

The effect of the shells differed widely. The shells 
from the Princess ” tore ragged holes in the wings of 
the aeroplane beneath her, so that the stricken machine 
began to drift slowly earthwards. And this was also 
what came to pass in the case of the aeroplane attacked 
by the ‘‘ Balkania.” 

But the shells from “ The State ” fell more or less 
by chance on that section of the aeroplane where the 
wings and the body were joined together. Two wings 
on the starboard side of the aeroplane were blown away, 
and the stricken craft turned turtle and fell like a stone 
through space. 

Strong alone held his hand. He held his hand de- 
liberately for the set purpose of discovering the effect 
of the shell-fire on the enemy. He learned it only just 
in time. Already the aeroplane beneath him was turn- 
ing for a downward flight, when, to a hair’s-breadth, 
he maneuvered the “ Victor ” so as to enable Bellingham 
to drop the little grenades plump through the enemy’s 
wings. 

The Kaiser’s aeroplane straightway drifted down- 
wards in the same slow, gentle fashion towards the earth 
as had been the fate of the aeroplanes placed out of 
action by the Balkania ” and the “ Princess.” Strong 
drew in a deep breath of relief and murmured a quick, 
but none the less fervent, little prayer of thankfulness 
to Heaven. 

Still, his thoughts were of Diana, and as he followed 
the now rapidly sinking aeroplane, he picked up the 
wireless and ticked a query to the palace. The answer- 
ing sparks in the instrument, which he held in his shak- 
ing hands, told him that Diana was once again waiting 
on the balcony. So Strong merely ticked ‘‘We have 
won ! ” and threw the instrument aside, for he had much 
to think of. 


SOS HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


They went down, down, down at a faster and faster 
rate. So great, indeed, was the speed at which they 
were descending that he was for a few moments fearful 
lest the aeroplane bearing the Kaiser should be dashed 
to pieces on the ground below. 

But as the earth rushed up to them. Strong saw the 
aeroplane tilt once again, and for a second he wondered 
whether, stricken though he was, the Kaiser was hoping 
to attempt another ascent, and continue the struggle 
single-handed. But this thought had no sooner flashed 
into Strong’s mind than he was satisfied on that score. 
The tilt had merely been made in order to serve as a 
brake. The aeroplane alighted gently on the ground. 

Arbuthnot and the Balkanian oflScers would have 
raised a cheer, but Strong was in time to check that 
demonstration with uplifted hand. He would not have 
any outward triumphing over a gallant but defeated foe. 

So completely did he now trust the Kaiser that, 
despite the fact that the men in the aeroplane out- 
numbered his own companions. Strong put the ‘‘ Victor ” 
down, and stepping out of her, walked alone towards 
the enemy. As he approached he lifted his cap, and 
marched bare-headed towards the Kaiser, whom he saw 
coming to meet him alone across the field on which the 
victor and vanquished had alighted. 

The Emperor’s face was very gray. He looked old 
and worn and sad. Half his Imperial masterfulness 
had dropped away from. him. He looked to Strong an 
utterly broken man. 

Strong stood still, somewhat awkwardly awaiting the 
Emperor’s approach. With all his resource, with all his 
tact, he was a little doubtful as to how to greet His 
Majesty. 

This difficulty was solved by the Emperor himself. 
As he drew near he held out his hand in a most frank 
and friendly fashion to Strong. 

Strong grasped it gladly. 


ARMAGEDDON LIMITED 


^ 0 ^ 


Mr. Strong,” said the Emperor, “ it is true that 
I have been defeated. Nothing can prevent your ascend- 
ency over the world now — it is simply a question of a 
little time and a little money for you so to increase your 
fleet that you have the world completely at your mercy. 
And I am glad to have been defeated by you. At least, 
I shall go down to posterity as the only man who was 
able even to put up a fight against you. And that,” he 
added, “ is only due to your generosity.” 

“ Your Majesty,” said Strong, “ please do not con- 
tinue to embarrass me by so much chivalrous kindness. 
Now, if you will permit me to suggest it, we will return 
to Romberg at once.” 

The Kaiser looked a little hopelessly about him. 

We seem to be in a rather forsaken spot,” he said, 
“ and I see no means of transport.” 

Strong laughed. “ You forget the ‘ Victor,’ ” he 
said. 

The Kaiser flushed. It was not until that moment 
that he realized how complete the victory had been. 

On arriving at the palace. Strong put the ‘‘ Victor ” 
down in the forecourt, swung easily over the side, and 
then turned to assist the Emperor to reach the ground. 

Diana, all pride, all small sense of dignity cast to the 
winds, came running down the steps and threw herself 
into Strong’s arms. For full half a minute she cried 
upon his breast. 

The troops were paraded in the square, but of these 
Strong took no heed. Very gently he wiped Diana’s 
tears away until she laughed at the very tenderness of 
his action. And when she laughed. Strong laughed 
too, and said, “ Allow me to introduce my most gallant 
friend, the Emperor of Germany.” 

The Kaiser, with a very courtly air, took Diana’s 
hand and raised it to his lips. Then all three together 
walked into the palace. 

In the hall Strong looked the Kaiser full in the face. 


SIO HE CONQUERED THE KAISER 


I think,” said he, “ I can explain my motives more 
clearly.” 

The Kaiser made a little bow. 

There was silence for some moments, and then Strong 
spoke again. Hard things have been said of me. 
Your Majesty, and most of them were undeserved. I 
boasted that I would steal the earth, and I really think 
I have fulfilled my boast. Ever since I met the prin- 
cess,” and he quietly took Diana’s hand, “ I have re- 
solved to do all I could to mitigate suffering in this 
world. Unfortunately, the only way lay through war. 
England, because of my own nationality, I was com- 
pelled to rule out of the conflict. To-morrow Russia 
and France will be my friends, just as I hope Germany 
may be mine.” 

“ Germany is your friend,” said the Kaiser, simply. 

“ Your Majesty,” said Strong a little sharply, “ I 
thank you for that expression of goodwill, but you will, 
of course, understand that the way of Germany is my 
way.” 

“ It shall be your way,” said the Kaiser with a ring 
of sincerity in his voice, “ because I think your way is 
inspired.” 

Strong lifted Diana’s hands and kissed them. And 
here,” he said, ‘‘ is the source of my inspiration. With 
Russia to support me, and with Germany as my ally, 
I have nothing more to fear. The world is mine to do 
as I bid it, and my bidding will be for the best, inas- 
much as. Dictator of the World though I may be, I 
shall in turn be ruled by love.” 

Again the Emperor held out his hand. “ Mr. 
Strong,” he said — I am §till forced to call you Mr. 
Strong — if you will allow me, I will remain in Bom- 
berg till you have been crowned Dictator. And if I 
may suggest it, on that same day the princess should 
be crowned Queen.” 

Then he turned with a very pleasant smile to Diana. 


ARMAGEDDON LIMITED 


311 


“ Madam,” he said, “ I am getting an old man — - 
consider me as a father. Grant me the favor that at 
jour wedding I maj be permitted to give you away to 
‘ The Man Who Conquered the Kaiser ’ I ” 


THE END 







A 



s« 





.;v' ■•* ■' '' •-* ■'•’• '•■ Wts 

>#. .... ».7 ,, . -V . , '.vr 




K 


.t 


I •.* . 



r 







I \ < 

M 


. •■ ■ -\y- .tA- ■' 

'*--• 4, ' ’ '•'— i* ■ . 


Tt 


• I 


- v). V • ■ . ‘ 


■'* v7? ' ’j* ■■ ‘ . . ■ 



.■\ n”*’ /' I ' o, ft' . . ,•> ‘M' ••- •^-’' 

; • * . -.v. 

, ' r,-', >1. ' •'■ - 

. / „ • r g\ 

^ f . 



'■'la?) 
. 



EC;i?:r " ■ 




t. 'I 


•S': 


a-..-'-. ■ ‘jy- ': ■■■■ •/ 

ft./.' .-■ i- .’• ,v. ■ iSS- 1 


P ' ' •«' -;> •** S^*. '<■ , ‘ -• i •’ 

Ir^V ' ->-' ^ JVA* " 





nV', , ■ 


•rr-^/ 






$ « 


, I ' , « ,• ► • • ' 


m:i 


f , t • 



Si" 


■ ' ** ■ r- ' 

'v w 



^.4% 




' :: ix 














• » 


1^ I . 


*'S‘> ^ 

■\ 


i 





< % 


'V 






I 4-- J#4, 4 


, i 






’ I 



*» I - 


IV 


•i , , .W-. f 

Z< ‘Vv'i 


\.-it • 

... • .■ 



t ^ 


ioXX' '-pr 


I « 





- ’1 

' ' •*■•>• V f'' 



•' ■< 


i »‘ 


/ V,.').:^' ^A r'S': 




» - 







cnxi •« . ■ • y '■ ' • ^ 

■Ob ■ ’ V- •■ •■ f > \ ."'i ^ 

. , ■ » ' \ ^ ' V" ■ *' * ^ 4* %' 

t; a 7.' .•, V V. ' 

d '^ .aS ’ » I 1 I ■ 


A * 

:V’ 


if 



Se' :y-t’ 




.»■ 



I 



.♦,v 




'1 , 


1/ 









tl 







< / 


V 


0 ^ 



A 


3 , 


<*»(/■ -■' y* j ■ , 




,v - 





i-'t 


a- 


• r» 


A 

4 



7rr, 

r^i ' 





< 


^ *( 


1 


f • 


fci 





• I 


/'t*r 




. • * 

* *■ '. -• 



|.S- 

• |r 

► V 



♦> S 

A > » : * 






r . 

r 


»; •'/ ; vr ' 

• 1j li InKiiJ-'v 


I ^ 


I • 

’"• * 

/- *A. 


A‘^ ■ 


_> . 







' ' . V. r ■ 


/ ■> 



^4* • ■ •■' 

r .1*. 

• 

J ■ '■ ^ 


• f > 

*' /' 


■ ' , 1 » % ''i 

• . • 1 . 


.'■T 


. •■ > ^- >• ’ * 


V * I 



A . < 




yt^ 

* . J * » > 



^* 


>!• 


t k 


» 

-S- 



• >* r « 


^ I 




v-*.* 


r. 



, 1 


.< . ^1, I !«« 

%/• ‘-4 ’*:j1' 


j ' • ” ^ ■ 4 I 

)• • ^’ w'' f.-?),’ si 

. * ’ ^ ^ A ■ hja. 


>. t 






.<•- 



•K'. . , 

r-V^ 'tA LftiL*- il^lk 


, V ► 

•'■Jrr 




4 . ■ 


/ 


4 


0 V , 


Hi. ;'■ 


i 

* \ 


• ^ 

r \\1 


' : 

d«e^' 






\ 


I 


ii 

3 

,1 


A 

a 

j 


4 

i 


I 







I 







